NCJ Number
14139
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1974) Pages: 2-10
Date Published
1974
Length
9 pages
Annotation
POLICE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT CONCEPTS OF THEIR JOB - A PROFESSIONAL IDEAL EMPHASIZING THEIR ROLE AS GUARDIANS OF THE SOCIAL ORDER, AND AN INTERPERSONAL GAME OF PURSUIT PLAYED WITH SUSPECTS, EMPHASIZING CONCEPTS OF 'FAIRNESS'.
Abstract
SOCIOLOGISTS OBSERVED AND ANALYZED THE BEHAVIOR OF VICE SQUAD PERSONNEL ASSIGNED TO CONTROL PROSTITUTION, GAMBLING, AND HEROIN TRAFFIC IN A CITY OF 200,000 BETWEEN 1968 AND 1973. THE STUDY FOUND THAT, ALTHOUGH THE DETECTIVES BELIEVED STRONGLY IN THE PROFESSIONAL POLICE IDEOLOGY, THEIR DAY-TO-DAY WORK INVOLVED THEM IN COMPETITIVE GAMES WITH SUSPECTS WHICH TRANSCENDED LEGAL RESTRICTIONS ON POLICE-SUSPECT INTERACTION. THE CENTRAL VALUE OBSERVED BY BOTH POLICE AND SUSPECTS IN SUCH RELATIONSHIPS WAS THE IDEA THAT SOME THINGS WERE 'FAIR' TO DO AND OTHERS WERE NOT. EPISODES ARE RECOUNTED TO SHOW HOW THIS UNDERSTANDING HAS AN IMPORTANT EFFECT ON HOW POLICE WORK IS DONE. THE STUDY CONCLUDES THAT 'POLICE MISBEHAVIOR' IS NOT A PROPER CONCEPT OF THIS KIND OF POLICE-SUSPECT RELATIONSHIPS SINCE THEY LESSEN TENSIONS AND STRENGTHEN PATTERNS OF PEACEFUL RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES.