INTRODUCTORY STUDY OF INSTITUTIONAL RACISM IN POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT

• NCJ Number: 55798
• Author(s): G W PEIRSON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 272 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY - DOCTORAL DISSERTATION

Annotation

EVIDENCE OF INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM IN THE OAKLAND, CALIF., POLICE DEPARTMENT IS EXAMINED.

Abstract

INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM IS DEFINED AS THE IMPOSITION BY AN ORGANIZATION AS A WHOLE OF PHILOSOPHIES, GUIDELINES, AND PRACTICES THAT HAVE THE INTENT OR EFFECT OF PROMOTING SYSTEMATIC, DISCRIMINATORY TREATMENT OF PERSONS ON THE BASIS OF THEIR RACE. THE FAILURE OF THE PUBLISHED LITERATURE ON POLICE RACISM TO DEAL WITH THE ISSUE OBJECTIVELY AND IN DEPTH IS NOTED, AS IS THE AUTHOR'S PERSPECTIVE ON THE ISSUE AS A BLACK OFFICER ON THE OAKLAND POLICE FORCE. THE DEMOGRAPHY AND HISTORY OF OAKLAND AND ITS POLICE DEPARTMENT ARE DESCRIBED. RACIAL DISCRIMINATION IN THE DEPARTMENT'S HIRING, TRAINING, AND PROMOTION PRACTICES IS EXAMINED. CHANGES IN THE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE ADMINISTRATIONS OF THREE DIFFERENT CHIEFS ARE REVIEWED, WITH REFERENCE TO THE MANNER IN WHICH RACISM, ALTHOUGH SUBTLEY CHANGED, PERSISTED AS THE DEPARTMENT CHANGED FROM ONE STYLE OF ENFORCEMENT TO ANOTHER. PROBLEMS THAT CONFRONTED A NEW CHIEF WHO, UNLIKE HIS PREDECESSORS, DID NOT FOCUS HIS REFORMS ON CORRUPTION WHILE DENYING AND IGNORING ALLEGATIONS OF RACISM AND BRUTALITY, ARE NOTED. THIS CHIEF, WHO TOOK COMMAND IN 1967 (AT A TIME WHEN THE OAKLAND COMMUNITY'S CONCERN ABOUT POLICE RACISM WAS MOUNTING) ANNOUNCED THAT HE WOULD ACT FORCEFULLY AGAINST ALL OFFICERS GUILTY OF RACISM AND BRUTALITY. CHALLENGES TO HIS AUTHORITY BEGAN WITH INDIVIDUAL EXPRESSIONS OF DISENCHANTMENT AND CULMINATED IN A VOTE OF NO CONFIDENCE BY OVER HALF OF THE DEPARTMENT'S WHITE OFFICERS. POLICE VIEWS ON RACISM AND CORRUPTION, ALONG WITH THOSE EXPRESSED BY OAKLAND OFFICIALS, ARE EXAMINED. THE DISCUSSION CLOSES WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF INSTANCES OF RACISM THAT WERE DEALT WITH AND 'EXPLAINED' PUBLICLY, AND OF OTHER INSTANCES IN WHICH INSTITUTIONALIZED RACISM WAS SO SUBTLE AND STANDARD AS AN 'OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE' THAT IT ATTRACTED NO OUTSIDE ATTENTION. SUGGESTIONS FOR OBTAINING OBJECTIVE MEASURES OF RACISM IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND THROUGHOUT THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE OFFERED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (LKM)