NCJ Number
12975
Journal
International Journal of the Addictions Volume: 8 Issue: 4 Dated: (1973) Pages: 613-621
Date Published
1973
Length
9 pages
Annotation
POLICEMEN'S ATTITUDES ARE BASED ON RACE AND CLASS DIFFERENCES, FRUSTRATION, AND THE MONOTONY OF COLLECTING INEBRIATES FROM THE STREET DAY AFTER DAY.
Abstract
THE DATA FOR THIS STUDY CAME FROM INTERVIEWS WITH POLICEMEN ON PATROL DURING THEIR EVENING SHIFTS AND FROM OFF-DUTY POLICEMEN EMPLOYED TO KEEP ORDER AT A CONVERTED WAREHOUSE WHERE DRUNKS COULD SLEEP ON THE FLOOR IN A SOUTHWESTERN TOWN ADJACENT TO THE NAVAHO RESERVATION. THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE POLICEMEN'S TIME WAS SPENT COLLECTING DRUNKS WHILE ON ROUTINE PATROL AND PROCESSING THEM AT THE POLICE STATION. THE TREATMENT GIVEN DRUNKS, WHO WERE MOSTLY INDIANS, RANGED FROM INDIFFERENCE TO BRUTALITY WITH CALLOUSNESS AND IMPATIENCE BEING FOUND MOST FREQUENTLY. MOST OF THE POLICEMEN FELT THAT THE INDIANS COULD NOT HOLD THEIR LIQUOR AND THAT THE JAILING OF DRUNKS WAS NECESSARY, ALTHOUGH IT DID NOT PROVIDE A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM SINCE MOST OF THOSE JAILED WERE REPEATERS. WHILE MANY POLICEMEN FELT THAT THERE WAS NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM, OTHERS SUGGESTED REHABILITATION PROGRAMS AND JOBS FOR THE INDIANS.