NCJ Number
49068
Journal
ABSTRACTS ON POLICE SCIENCE Volume: 5 Issue: 6 Dated: (NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1977) Pages: 337-351
Date Published
1977
Length
15 pages
Annotation
A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE DEMONSTRATION CONTROL RESPONSES OF AMERICAN AND JAPANESE POLICE IS PRESENTED WHICH EMPHASIZES DIFFERENCES IN CONTROL MEASURES AND IN FACTORS INFLUENCING THE RESPONSES.
Abstract
BOTH JAPANESE AND AMERICAN LAWS WHICH FORM THE BASIS FOR DEMONSTRATION LICENSING SYSTEMS RECOGNIZE A NECESSITY FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO HAVE ADVANCE WARNING OF SUCH EVENTS. CONSEQUENTLY, IN BOTH COUNTRIES A POLICE PRESENCE IS MORE OR LESS ASSURED, AS IS THE POLICE RIGHT TO EXERCISE SOME DEGREE OF CONTROL OVER THE PROCEEDINGS. DEMONSTRATIONS ARE A FAVORITE AND EFFECTIVE FORM OF POLITICAL PROTEST IN JAPAN. A MIXTURE OF RITUAL AND RECREATION AS WELL AS PROTEST, THEY ARE USUALLY WELL-ORGANIZED, PEACEFUL, AND DISCIPLINED. PUBLIC OPINION IS HIGHLY CRITICAL OF VIOLENT DEMONSTRATION, AND THUS VIOLENCE MAY RESULT IN A LOSS OF PUBLIC SUPPORT. HOWEVER, POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN THE CONTEXT OF GREAT SELF-SACRIFICE MAY STILL BE VIEWED AS HONORABLE. IN SPITE OF A TURBULENT POLITICAL HISTORY INVOLVING MANY VIOLENT DEMONSTRATIONS, VIOLENCE AS A LEGITIMATE FORM OF PROTEST IS REJECTED BY THE AMERICAN VALUE SYSTEM. IN GENERAL, AMERICAN PROTESTERS OF THE LATE 1960'S AND EARLY 1970'S LACKED THE STRONG IDEOLOGICAL COMMITMENT FOUND IN JAPAN AND DEPENDED LARGELY ON PASSIVE RESISTANCE RATHER THAN VIOLENT ACTIVISM. IN CONTRAST TO JAPAN, MUCH OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC APPROVED THE USE OF VIOLENT FORCE BY POLICE AGAINST DEMONSTRATORS. THE JAPANESE POLICE SYSTEM IS HIGHLY CENTRALIZED, AND THE POLICE ARE EXTREMELY WELL DISCIPLINED AND WELL TRAINED. MOBILE FORCES MAINTAIN A CLEAR DEFENSE PHILOSOPHY; A MAJOR EMPHASIS IS ON POLICE RESTRAINT, SELF-CONTROL, AND COMPLETE NEUTRALITY. IN THE U.S., REGULAR POLICE OFFICERS WITH ONLY LIMITED SPECIALIZED TRAINING ARE USUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR RIOT/DEMONSTRATION CONTROL. THUS, THE AMERICAN RESPONSE IS OFTEN ON A CONTINGENCY BASIS. THIS LACK OF EXPERTISE, TOGETHER WITH THE CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL BIASES OF THE INDIVIDUAL OFFICERS, THE POLICE ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE, AND THE AMERICAN PUBLIC RESULTED IN A LACK OF PROFESSIONAL DISCIPLINE AMONG POLICE DEALING WITH CIVIL RIGHTS AND ANTIWAR DEMONSTRATORS. IN THE U.S., THE DECISION BY POLICE TO USE FORCE DURING A DEMONSTRATION IS SEEN AS A POLITICAL DECISION BASED ON THE POLICE PERCEPTION OF THE PROTESTERS' PUBLIC SUPPORT. THUS, IN MANY OF THE STUDENT DEMONSTRATIONS, POLICE OFFICERS REACTED WITH HOSTILITY TOWARD THE PROTESTERS AND OFTEN WERE THE INITIATORS OF ASSAULTIVE ACTIVITIES. SUBSTANTIAL REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (JAP)