NCJ Number
131214
Date Published
Unknown
Length
111 pages
Annotation
Comparative and longitudinal data from three related studies are used to assess the impact of college education on police attitudes and performance in St. Louis, Tampa, and Rochester.
Abstract
From 1972 to 1977, the percentage of police officers having some college education increased significantly, although police attitudes did not change substantially. More police officers, however, asserted that they had a right to organize to improve working conditions and that restrictions on the use of force reduced their effectiveness. In general, during the period when the educational level of police officers was rising, many attitude patterns persisted. Some of the attitudes which did not change, such as acceptance of the military model of organization, were ones which advocates of education as a police reform measure hoped would be altered. Some attitudes which apparently changed, such as attitudes toward the efficacy of force in controlling crime, moved in a direction opposite to reform aspirations. Educational level was not related to the quality of police services, and police verbal abuse of citizens, the use of force, and the provision of assistance did not vary with educational level. Further, educational level was not related to police-citizen encounters in all police department sizes and neighborhoods, regardless of the population's racial and economic characteristics. The research design and data collection strategies are described in detail. 27 references and 25 tables