CRIMINAL JUSTICE - COMMUNITY RELATIONS - A PERSPECTIVE ON SUB-COMMUNITY DEMANDS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• NCJ Number: 56370
• Journal: WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY BULLETIN Volume: 53 Issue: 2 Dated: (MAY 1977), 3-16
• Author(s): G M JANEKSELA
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 16 pages
• Corporate Author: Wichita State University
• Sale Source: National Technical Information Service
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY STUDIES N 111

Annotation

THE PROBLEMS OF SOCIAL CONTROL OCCASIONED BY THE EXISTENCE OF SUBCOMMUNITIES WITH VARYING VALUES AND PERCEPTIONS ARE DISCUSSED, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE OFFERED FOR POLICE RESPONSE TO THESE PROBLEMS.

Abstract

THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM DEPENDS ON THE COOPERATION OF THE COMMUNITY IN ORDER TO PERFORM ITS TASKS. THEREFORE, THE INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM MUST BE CONSIDERED IN THE OPERATIONAL DECISIONS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL. ANALYSIS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS COMPLICATED BY THE EXISTENCE OF SUBCOMMUNITIES WITHIN THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM. THESE SUBSYSTEMS, EACH HAVING DIFFERENT VALUES AND PERCEPTIONS, DEFINE CRIMINAL JUSTICE IN DIFFERENT TERMS. IN ADDITION, EACH SUBSYSTEM PLACES DIFFERENT DEMANDS ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESOURCES. GIVEN LIMITED RESOURCES, THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM MUST ALLOCATE ITS RESOURCES IN A WAY THAT DECREASES THE POTENTIAL FOR DESTRUCTIVE CONFLICT IN THE COMMUNITY. THE ALLOCATION PROCESS INVOLVES CALCULATING THE POWER POSSESSED BY SUBCOMMUNITIES. THE RESULTS OF THESE CALCULATIONS ARE IMPORTANT FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY AND OPERATIONS. THE POTENTIAL FOR CONFLICT CAN BE REDUCED BY OPENING COMMUNICATION CHANNELS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE COMMUNITY. THE INTERRELATIONSHIPS OF COMMUNITY SUBSYSTEMS ALSO IS ILLUSTRATED BY THE RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE COMMUNITY SYSTEM, AND DEVIANT SUBSYSTEMS. SINCE POLICE ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES OFTEN IS RESPONSIVE TO THE POWER OF VARIOUS SUBCOMMUNITIES, COMMUNITY CONFLICT ARISES WHEN DISCRIMINATION IS PERCEIVED. EQUITABLE APPLICATION OF LEGAL SANCTIONS AND POLICE SERVICES IS ESSENTIAL TO REDUCE AND CONTAIN COMMUNITY CONFLICTS, CONFLICT MANAGEMENT TRAINING IS VITAL FOR POLICE IN DEALING WITH THE COMPLEX PROBLEMS OCCASIONED BY VARIOUS SUBCOMMUNITIES IN THE LARGER COMMUNITY. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (RCB)