NCJ Number
32914
Date Published
1972
Length
200 pages
Annotation
FINAL REPORT ON A PROJECT TO IDENTIFY POLICE-COMMUNITY COMMUNICATIONS NEEDS FOR THE SOUTHEAST; TO DEVELOP COMMUNICATIONS TRAINING MATERIALS; AND TO CONDUCT TWO WORKSHOPS AND COMPILE A TRAINING HANDBOOK.
Abstract
RESEARCH TEAMS VISITED NINE SOUTHEASTERN CITIES, WHERE THEY ADMINISTERED A COMMUNICATION SURVEY INSTRUMENT (REPRODUCED IN AN APPENDIX) TO OVER 400 POLICE OFFICERS. ANALYSIS OF THIS DATA INDICATED THAT POLICE OFFICERS FOUND COMMUNICATION WITH MINORITY GROUPS AND IN CONFLICT SITUATIONS VERY DIFFICULT. THESE RESULTS WERE NOT FOUND TO BE RELATED TO SUCH FACTORS AS THE RESPONDENTS RACE, AGE, OR EDUCATIONAL LEVEL. OVER FORTY PERCENT FELT THAT THE PUBLIC DID NOT SUPPORT THEM - QUITE POSSIBLY DUE TO COMMUNICATION PROBLEMS. ON THE BASIS OF THIS INFORMATION A SERIES OF LECTURES, SMALL GROUP CONFLICT EXERCISES, AND FILMS WERE DEVELOPED. A COMPLETE LIST OF THESE TRAINING MATERIALS IS INCLUDED IN AN APPENDIX. THESE TRAINING MATERIALS WERE ARRANGED IN A THREE AND ONE HALF DAY WORKSHOP FORMAT. OFFICERS WHO ATTENDED INDICATED THAT THEY FELT THE WORKSHOP WAS EXTREMELY RELEVANT AND VALUABLE IN TEACHING BASIC INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS. THE TRAINING HANDBOOK WHICH RESULTED FROM THIS PROJECT IS REPRODUCED IN ITS ENTIRETY HEREIN.