VIOLENCE AND THE POLICE - THE SPECIAL CASE OF THE POLICE ASSAILANT

• NCJ Number: 58211
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1979) Pages: 161-171
• Author(s): C K MEYER; T C MAGEDANZ; D C KIESELHORST; S G CHAPMAN
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 11 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF A STUDY ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PERSONS INVOLVED IN POLICE ASSAULTS IS MADE, AND A HYPOTHETICAL EXPLANATION IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE DATA ANALYZED IN THIS STUDY WAS GATHERED ON THE CHARACTERISTICS AND DYNAMICS OF ASSAULTS DIRECTED AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS IN FIVE SOUTH CENTRAL STATES (OKLAHOMA, NEW MEXICO, LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, AND TEXAS) DURING 1973 BY THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA. A TOTAL OF 1,143 MUNICIPAL ASSAULT INCIDENTS WERE REPORTED TO THE POLICE ASSAULTS STUDY FROM 37 MUNICIPAL AGENCIES. REPORTING AGENCIES RANGED IN SIZE FROM GORE, OKLAHOMA WITH A POPULATION OF 344 TO OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA WITH 360,000. EACH AGENCY COMPLETED A COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONNAIRE DESCRIBING THE FOLLOWING DIMENSIONS OF EACH ASSAULT: (1) OFFICER CHARACTERISTICS, (2) ASSAILANT CHARACTERISTICS, (3) ASSAULT ENVIRONMENT, AND (4) THE DYNAMICS OF THE ASSAULT. AS DEFINED IN THE STUDY, ASSAULT MEANS 'ANY OVERT PHYSICAL ACT THE OFFICER PERCEIVES OR HAS REASON TO BELIEVE WAS INTENDED TO CAUSE HIM HARM'. THE DATA INDICATED THAT MOST POLICE ASSAILANTS WERE YOUNG MALE ADULTS OF A MINORITY RACE WHO WERE EITHER UNEMPLOYED OR HELD JOBS OF LOW SOCIOECONOMIC DISTINCTION. ASSAILANTS WERE OFTEN OF LESS THAN AVERAGE HEIGHT, AND WERE FREQUENTLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL WHEN COMMITTING THE ASSAULT. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT ASSAULTING A POLICE OFFICER MAY BE MOTIVATED CONSCIOUSLY OR SUBCONSCIOUSLY BY A DESIRE TO ACHIEVE PRESTIGE AND MAKE A MARK WITHIN THE LOWER CLASS PEER GROUP. THOSE WHO SUFFER FROM THE SYSTEM'S INEQUITIES ARE THE PEOPLE MOST LIKELY TO STRIKE OUT VIOLENTLY AGAINST POLICE OFFICERS AS WELL AS OTHER SIMILARLY PERCEIVED SYMBOLS OF OPPRESSION. IN SHORT, THE POLICE, SERVING AS BUFFERS AGAINST THE PRIVILEGED AND UNDERPRIVILEGED RANKS OF SOCIETY, ARE ASSAULTED OVERWHELMINGLY BY SOCIETY'S LOSERS. FOOTNOTES AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LWM)