NCJ Number
58485
Editor(s)
D P GEARY
Date Published
1979
Length
370 pages
Annotation
AN UPDATED, REORGANIZED, AND EXPANDED VERSION OF A COLLEGE TEXTBOOK ON FACTORS INFLUENCING POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THE AIM OF THE BOOK IS TO PROVIDE READERS WITH AN AWARENESS OF THE BEHAVIORAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, AND OTHER DETERMINANTS OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS. THE SECOND EDITION INCLUDES A NEW CHAPTER ON RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND SPECIAL AGE GROUPS, PLUS GREATER EMPHASIS ON SOCIAL CHANGE AND ITS IMPACT ON CRIME, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESSES INVOLVED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT THE DYNAMICS AND PROBLEMS OF COMMUNICATIONS, POLICE DISCRETION, AND STRATEGIES FOR MAKING INTERACTIONS BETWEEN POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY MORE POSITIVE. THE TEXT OPENS WITH AN OVERVIEW OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS. SUBSEQUENT CHAPTERS DISCUSS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS; THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE OF BEING A POLICE OFFICER SUCH AS COPING WITH CHANGE, JOB STRESS AND PROFESSIONALIZATION; PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS INFLUENCING POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS (PERCEPTION, SELF-CONCEPT, AGGRESSION, HOSTILITY); ROLE CONCEPTS (CONFLICTING PERCEPTIONS OF THE POLICE ROLE); AND SOCIAL CHANGE AND THE DILEMMAS IT PRESENTS FOR POLICE OFFICERS. OTHER CHAPTERS DEAL WITH THE COMMUNICATION PROCESS AND BLOCKS TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONS; SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT AND DISCRIMINATORY APPLICATION OF LAWS; POLICE-PRESS RELATIONS; POLICE, THE YOUNG, AND THE ELDERLY; STRATEGIES OF POLITICAL DISSENT AND RESPONSE TO DISSENT; CONFLICT MANAGEMENT (ALTERNATIVES TO ARREST); AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN POLICING (STYLES OF COMMUNITY CONTROL). EACH CHAPTER OPENS WITH A STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND CLOSES WITH REVIEW QUESTIONS, DISCUSSION TOPICS, AND AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY. A GLOSSARY AND INDEX ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)