NCJ Number
177158
Journal
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 15 Issue: 1 Dated: February 1999 Pages: 111-127
Date Published
1999
Length
17 pages
Annotation
One hundred forty-seven police officers and civilian police employees in four police agencies in the four regions of the United States were surveyed to determine the social factors that affect law enforcement participation in initiatives to collect data on hate crimes.
Abstract
The study was prompted by recognition that law enforcement participation in collecting hate crime statistics increased quickly in the first 4 years after the passage of the Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990, but seemed to have reached a plateau by 1994. In 1994, 7,298 law enforcement agencies took part in the hate crime statistics program; this number was less than half of the more than 16,000 police agencies that take part in the Uniform Crime Reporting program. The survey instrument was based on focused interviews in a stratified sample of police officers from agencies in two eastern States. Results revealed 10 common factors among the 60 interrelated variables identified at the focus groups. These factors were: (1) organizational attitudes/beliefs, (2) utility in community relations, (3) organizational self-preservation, (4) efficacy of police involvement, (5) priority of resource allocations, (6) supportive organizational policies and practices, (7) individual attitudes and beliefs, (8) professional self-preservation, (9) work-related difficulties, and (10) organizational commitment. Findings indicated the need for specific police agency policies and procedures on this issue and for a training curriculum that includes seven specific components. Tables, notes, and 15 references