DUTCH AND THEIR POLICE - EXPERIENCES, ATTITUDES, AND DEMANDS

• NCJ Number: 53096
• Author(s): JUNGER-TAS
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 29 pages
• Corporate Author: Sweden Justitiedepartementet
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: Sweden
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED AT THE 9TH WORLD CONGRESS OF SOCIOLOGY IN UPPSALA, SWEDEN, AUGUST 1978

Annotation

A SURVEY OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD, EXPECTATIONS OF, AND EXPERIENCES WITH POLICE IN THE NETHERLANDS IS REPORTED.

Abstract

STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF THE DUTCH POPULATION BETWEEN THE AGES OF 16 TO 70. INTERVIEWS WERE COMPLETED WITH 1,311 OF THE 1,562 SUBJECTS APPROACHED. OF ALL RESPONDENTS, 71.5 PERCENT HAD HAD CONTACTS WITH THE POLICE, 59 PERCENT IN THE 3 YEARS PRECEDING THE STUDY. MOST POLICE CONTACTS WERE VIEWED POSITIVELY, ALTHOUGH CONSIDERABLE DISSATISFACTION WAS EXPRESSED BY SUBJECTS WHO HAD BEEN VICTIMS OR SUSPECTS IN OFFENSES AND BY SUBJECTS WHO HAD REPORTED OFFENSES OR FILED COMPLAINTS. IT APPEARS THAT 43 PERCENT OF THE COMPLAINTS FILED AND 21.5 PERCENT OF THE OFFENSES REPORTED DID NOT LEAD TO ANY POLICE RESPONSE. MOST SUBJECTS VIEWED THE MAJOR POLICE FUNCTIONS AS TRAFFIC REGULATION, ORDER MAINTENANCE, AND CRIME FIGHTING; PROVISION OF ASSISTANCE AND INFORMATION WAS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE 'REAL' POLICEWORK. YOUNGER PEOPLE AND URBAN DWELLERS HELD MORE NEGATIVE VIEWS OF POLICE THAN OLDER PEOPLE, RURAL RESIDENTS, AND PERSONS LIVING IN UPPER MIDDLE-CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS. MORE THAN ONE-HALF OF THE RESPONDENTS FELT ONLY MODERATELY PROTECTED BY THE POLICE. SUBJECTS WERE MOST LIKELY TO CONTACT POLICE WHEN THEY FELT PERSONALLY THREATENED AND WERE MOST RELUCTANT TO CALL THE POLICE IN SITUATIONS PERCEIVED AS PRIVATE MATTERS. THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS ARE DRAWN: (1) THERE IS A CONSIDERABLE LACK OF PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ABOUT POLICE WORK; (2) THE PUBLIC APPARENTLY HAS UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS ABOUT POLICE EFFICIENCY IN HANDLING CRIMES AND DISORDERS; (3) EVEN WHEN THEY ARE UNABLE TO PROVIDE MUCH ASSISTANCE, POLICE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO DEAL MORE EFFECTIVELY WITH PEOPLE WHO REPORT CRIMES AND FILE COMPLAINTS; (4) THERE APPEARS TO BE A GENERAL LACK OF WILLINGNESS TO LEND THE POLICE A HAND; (5) CITIZENS IN LARGE CITIES AND POOR NEIGHBORHOODS WANT MORE POLICE PRESENCE; AND (6) ALTHOUGH FEW INSTANCES OF POLICE BRUTALITY WERE MENTIONED, THERE WAS SOME INDICATION THAT USE OF RUDE AND ABUSIVE LANGUAGE BY POLICE, PARTICULARLY IN THEIR CONTACTS WITH NONWHITES AND YOUTHS, MAY BE A PROBLEM. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)