NCJ Number
75057
Date Published
1981
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This discussion of cultural issues affecting police work identifies religion, democracy, and social science as the foundation of good human relations, scores predjudice as an inhibitor, and delineates the characteristics of several groups who suffer from police discrimination.
Abstract
The Judeo-Cristian ethic of Western culture teaches the intrinsic worth of each human being, and democratic customs put forth the belief that all persons are free and created equal. However, wide gaps exist between religious and democratic principles and common behavior. Social science provides additional human relations principles, such as the right of all persons to equal treatment, the importance of understanding other cultures in making just decisions, and the importance of evaluating others on their own merits. Predjudice, a major inhibitor of democracy and good relations, is often directed against minority groups and is a deadly police fault. Aspects of it include ethnocentricity, or thinking one's own culture is right; hostility; and stereotyping. A discussion of blacks, Mexican-Americans, Puerto Ricans, American Indians, and Asian-Americans as frequent victims of predjudice outlines some of their important values and their family patterns. Final topics include racism as a form of economic bias, some causes of predjudice toward minorities by white police officers, police prejudice against women and homosexuals, and minority recruitment. Twenty-six references are included.