GUERRILLA WARFARE - AN ANALOGY TO POLICE-CRIMINAL INTERACTION

• NCJ Number: 49723
• Journal: American Journal of Orthopsychiatry Volume: 37 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1967) Pages: 666-670
• Author(s): H BLACK; M J LABES
• Date Published: 1967
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: American Orthopsychiatric Assoc, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRESENTED AT THE 1966 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ORTHOPSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA

Annotation

A COMPARISON BETWEEN POLICE ACTION IN HIGH CRIME AREAS AND CLASSICAL GUERRILLA WARFARE TOUCHES ON ASPECTS OF POLICE PSYCHOLOGY AND THE INTERACTION BETWEEN POLICE AND CITIZENS LIVING IN INNER-CITY GHETTOS.

Abstract

THE ANALOGY POINTS TO THE CONCLUSION THAT, IN COMBATING CRIME IN THE URBAN GHETTO, NO STRATEGY WILL WORK WHICH DOES NOT SEPARATE THE POPULATION FROM THE CRIMINALS AND WHICH DOES NOT ENLIST THE POPULATION ON THE SIDE OF THE POLICE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE POLICE SYSTEM IN HIGH CRIME AREAS HAS BEEN ITS INABILITY TO LEARN FROM THE HUMANITARIAN PACIFICATION METHODS USED BY ENLIGHTENED MILITARY ADMINISTRATORS TO SEPARATE CIVILIANS FROM ENEMY TROOPS, BOTH PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY, AND TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN REBUILDING SHATTERED AREAS. THE NEED FOR POLICE TO ASSUME A HELPING FUNCTION IN HIGH-CRIME AREAS IN ORDER TO WIN THE RESPECT AND COOPERATION OF CITIZENS IS EMPHASIZED, AS ARE THE BARRIERS TO SUCH A STRATEGY ON THE PART OF POLICE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT ONE BARRIER IS THE AVERAGE POLICEMAN'S OWN SENSE OF POWERLESSNESS AND ALIENATION. WAYS OF HELPING POLICE TO IMPROVE THEIR HANDLING OF STOP-AND-ARREST SITUATIONS IN URBAN GHETTOS ARE CONSIDERED, AS ARE OTHER APPROACHES TO IMPROVING RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND INNER-CITY RESIDENTS. (LKM)