NCJ Number
66281
Journal
POLIZEI Volume: 68 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1977) Pages: 165-172
Date Published
1977
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE NECESSITY OF KNOWLEDGE OF SELF AND OTHERS FOR CRIMINOLOGISTS IS EMPHASIZED, AND GUIDELINES FOR HEIGHTENING OBSERVATION POWERS AND INTERPRETING HUMAN BEHAVIOR ARE GIVEN.
Abstract
KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN NATURE IS ESSENTIAL FOR CRIMINOLOGISTS BECAUSE IT ENABLES THEM TO JUDGE AND CONTROL THEIR OWN BEHAVIOR AND TO EVALUATE AND ADJUST TO THEIR NUMEROUS CLIENTS. KNOWLEDGE OF HUMAN NATURE BEGINS WITH A CLOSE SCRUTINY OF A PERSON'S IDIOSYNCRACIES; E.G., THE MANNER OF ANSWERING THE PHONE, OF CLEARING ONE'S THROAT, OR OF DRIVING A CAR. IN INTERPRETING THESE OBSERVATIONS, THE POLICE OFFICER MUST EXERCISE CAUTION SINCE, AT TIMES, IDENTICAL HUMAN EXPRESSIONS MAY WARRANT DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS; FOR INSTANCE, WITNESSES PULLING ON THEIR BEARDS MAY INDICATE INSECURITY AS WELL AS CONCENTRATION. PARTICULARLY GOOD OPPORTUNITIES FOR OBSERVING HUMAN NATURE OCCUR WHENEVER THE SUBJECT FEELS UNWATCHED, IS TENSE OR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL, OR COMMITS FREUDIAN ERRORS. NUMEROUS FORMS OF LAUGHTER OR VARIOUS SMOKING RITUALS ALSO OFFER COPIOUS INDICATIONS TO AN INDIVIDUAL'S CHARACTER. WHEN EVALUATING OTHERS, OFFICERS SHOULD ALWAYS DETERMINE A PERSON'S REAL MOTIVES, SEE THROUGH MASKS AND SOCIAL ROLE-PLAYING, BE ON THE LOOK-OUT FOR FREUDIAN 'GIVE-AWAYS,' AND, ABOVE ALL, REMAIN OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ERRORS OF JUDGMENT. A DIAGRAM GIVES A STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE FOR DETERMINING THE SOMATIC, SOCIOLOGICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND SPIRITUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF A PERSON. A LIST OF SUGGESTED STEPS FOR SELF-EVALUATION INCLUDES AWARENESS OF THE IMPRESSION ONE MAKES ON OTHERS, OF ONE'S WEAKNESSES, AND OF ONE'S PREJUDICES. THE ARTICLE INCLUDES FOOTNOTES. --IN GERMAN. (SAJ)