EFFECT OF EDUCATION ON POLICE ATTITUDES

• NCJ Number: 19777
• Journal: Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 2 Issue: 4 Dated: (WINTER 1974) Pages: 317-328
• Author(s): N L Weiner
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Pergamon Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF FOUR ATTITUDE QUESTIONNAIRES ADMINISTERED TO 396 POLICE OFFICERS TO DETERMINE WHETHER COLLEGE-LEVEL EDUCATION HAS AN EFFECT ON POLICE OFFICER ATTITUDES TOWARDS MINORITIES, LAW AND ORDER, AND THE POLICE ROLE.

Abstract

THE FOUR ATTITUDE TESTS USED WERE 1) THE SHEATSLEY PRO-INTEGRATION SCALE; 2) NIEDERHOFFER'S POLICE CYNICISM SCALE; 3) THE MINNESOTA SURVEY OF OPINION LAW SCALE; AND 4) THE BOGARDUS SOCIAL DISTANCE SCALE. THE ANALYSIS WAS CONTROLLED FOR SUCH FACTORS AS AGE, SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUND, RANK IN THE DEPARTMENT, NUMBER OF YEARS AT PRESENT RANK, AND NUMBER OF YEARS ON THE FORCE. FINDINGS FROM THE CORRELATION ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT THE EDUCATIONAL LEVEL OF THE POLICE DOES NOT SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECT THEIR ATTITUDES. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THIS IS DUE, IN PART, TO THE VOCATIONAL ORIENTATION OF MANY POLICE COLLEGE STUDENTS AND TO THE PERVASIVE EFFECT OF THE POLICE ROLE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)