COMMUNITY SURVEY OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPECTATIONS OF THE KALAMAZOO CITY (MI) POLICE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• NCJ Number: 55184
• Author(s): P C FRIDAY; S R SONNAD
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 496 pages
• Corporate Author: Western Michigan University
• Sale Source: Western Michigan University
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PRESENTED ARE FINDINGS OF A KALAMAZOO, MICH., POLICE DEPARTMENT SURVEY OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARDS, KNOWLEDGE OF, AND EXPECTATIONS REGARDING POLICE AND POLICE SERVICES.

Abstract

THE SURVEY FOCUSED ON THESE SPECIFIC ISSUES: (1) THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME AND EXPECTATIONS OF POLICE ROLES AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE, (2) THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE ROLES POLICE PERFORM, (3) THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE POLICE BY DIFFERENT GROUPS, AND (4) THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN KNOWLEDGE, EXPECTATIONS, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE, GENERAL CONCERNS ABOUT THE CITY, AND BACKGROUND VARIABLES OF RESPONDENTS. QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES WERE OBTAINED FROM 521 HOUSEHOLDS IN THE CITY AND CHI-SQUARE ANALYSIS OF RESPONSES AND CROSS-CHECKS FOR VALIDATION WERE USED TO OBTAIN FINDINGS. RESULTS SHOW THAT THE CITIZENS OF KALAMAZOO SEE DRUGS, CRIME IN GENERAL, AND JUVENILE DELINQUENCY AS THE MOST SEVERE CITY PROBLEMS, THE LEAST SEVERE PROBLEMS BEING OVERCHARGING BY STORES, LACK OF GOOD SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS WITH POLICE. THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF THE POLICE IS AVERAGE TO GOOD AND WITH NO INDICATION OF WIDESPREAD DISSATISFACTION WITH, DISTRUST OF, OR ANTIPATHY TOWARDS POLICE. NONWHITES AND THE LEAST-EDUCATED RESPONDENTS FEEL THERE IS A GREATER POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS PROBLEM THAN OTHER GROUPS. WHEN POLICE TASKS ARE CATEGORIZED INTO CRIMINAL OR CRIME-RELATED FUNCTIONS, ORDER OR SOCIAL CONTROL AND TRAFFIC FUNCTIONS, AND NONCRIME RELATED SERVICES, RESPONSES ON CITIZEN SATISFACTION VARIED SIGNIFICANTLY. POLICE ARE ASSESSED AS BEST IN THEIR PERFORMANCE OF ORDER FUNCTIONS, I.E., TRAFFIC REGULATION AND ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. VICTIMS OF CRIME AND RESPONDENTS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION LEVELS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS MORE NEGATIVE IN THEIR ASSESSMENT OF POLICE IRRESPECTIVE OF THE FUNCTION. THE PUBLIC TENDS TO BE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT POLICE PERFORMANCE IN ORDER FUNCTIONS AND EXPECT POLICE TO PERFORM A VARIETY OF FUNCTIONS AND SERVICES, EVEN TO USE RADAR IN TRAFFIC CONTROL. THEY RANK SUCH DUTIES AS 'PREVENTING CRIME' AND 'PROTECTING PEOPLE' AS IMPORTANT WHILE RATING SUCH FUNCTIONS AS ARRESTING DISTRIBUTORS OF PORNOGRAPHY AND DEALING WITH JUVENILES AS NONIMPORTANT. FURTHER FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, STUDY DATA, THE STUDY INSTRUMENT, AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)