NCJ Number
47553
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 222-231
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
USING HISTORICAL RESEARCH, THE PREVALENT IMMIGRANT MODE OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS IS EXAMINED AND COMPARED TO THE COLONIAL MODEL AS IT HAS BEEN APPLIED TO POLICE INTERACTION WITH RACIAL MINORITIES.
Abstract
THE POPULAR CONCEPT OF THE IMMIGRANT MODEL OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS VIEWS THE WHITE IMMIGRANT AS HAVING MOVED QUICKLY WITHIN A TWO-GENERATION SPAN INTO THE DOMINANT SOCIETY, WHILE, UNDER THE COLONIAL MODEL, RACIAL MINORITIES SUCH AS BLACKS, HISPANICS, AND NATIVE AMERICANS HAVE REMAINED SUBJECT TO THE DOMINANT WHITE MAJORITY THROUGH THE USE OF POLICE REPRESENTING THE DOMINANT GROUP. THESE TWO MODEL CONCEPTS ARE EXAMINED IN THE STUDY OF THE IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, BETWEEN THE YEARS 1890 AND 1920. IT IS BELIEVED THE RESEARCH OF RACIAL MINORITIES AS IT ENCOMPASSES THE STRUGGLES OF A MINORITY GROUP IN INTERACTION WITH AN AFFLUENT MAJORITY. THE SOCIAL AND LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE PATERSON IMMIGRANTS ARE DOCUMENTED TO SHOW THE EXISTENCE OF POVERTY, OVERCROWDING, FAMILY INSTABILITY, AND A FRUSTRATION THAT BRED CRIME AND VIOLENCE WITHIN IMMIGRANT NEIGHBORHOODS. POLICE CONTACTS AND ARREST FIGURES WERE HIGH, PARTICULARLY AMONG ITALIANS. THE TWO PERIODS OF HIGHEST ARREST RATE OCCURED DURING THE TIMES OF MOST VOLATILE LABOR PROBLEMS. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT IMMIGRANTS HAD TO CONTEND WITH INCREASED HOSTILITY FROM THE POLICE WHEN THEY ASSERTED THEIR RIGHT TO MORE EQUITABLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TREATMENT. THE EVIDENCE OFFERED IN THIS RESEARCH INDICATES NO ATTACK ON THE 'COLONIAL MODEL,' BUT QUESTIONS THE ASSUMPTIONS UPON WHICH THE 'IMMIGRANT MODEL' HAS BEEN BUILT. IT IS MAINTAINED THAT THE EVIDENCE INDICATES A SIMILARITY BETWEEN IMMIGRANT AND BLACK CONTACTS WITH THE POLICE SUCH THAT TWO MODELS ARE NOT JUSTIFIED. IT IS HELD THAT IN BOTH INSTANCES EACH GROUP, THROUGH OVERT ACTION (E.G., LABOR OR CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENTS) CREATED DEMANDS ON THE POLICE WHICH WERE INTERPRETED AS AN ATTACK ON THE STATUS QUO. EACH SUCCESSIVE NEGATIVE MEETING BETWEEN POLICE AND THE REBELLIOUS MINORITY INCREASED HOSTILITY AND APPREHENSION BETWEEN THE GROUPS. A NEW MODEL OF POLICE-COMMUNITY INTERACTION IS PROPOSED FOR MINORITY GROUPS IN GENERAL WHO ARE EXPLOITED BY A DOMINANT MAJORITY. IN SUCH CASES, OVERT ATTEMPTS BY SUCH MINORITIES TO SECURE RIGHTS ARE CHALLENGED THROUGH THE USE OF POLICE, WHO TEND TO ADOPT A COMBATIVE STANCE TOWARD THE MINORITY GROUP IN GENERAL. (RCB)