NCJ Number
80762
Date Published
1981
Length
409 pages
Annotation
This book traces the reasons for police-community confrontations and suggests how a collaboration between police and society might be initiated. It views the police system from an organizational perspective and then examines police-community relations and the police officer's role.
Abstract
A discussion of police-community relations in terms of a behavioral and systems framework finds a symbiotic relationship between the police and the community. Obstacles encountered by police in the administration of their duties are pointed out, not the least being 'noninvolvement' of the public, a characteristic with unfortunate consequences in crime prevention. The text defines the role of the police in the context of a democratic society and the structure of the criminal justice system. In particular, it presents the concepts of police discretion in relation to community and subculture expectations and points out the factors instrumental in the use of this discretion. The book notes that the police system exists to preserve and enhance democratic values and that the public role in crime control must be developed in concert with an overall strategy to reduce crime. The role of the police in controlling crime is explored, activities designed to meet specific crime-reducing goals are outlined, and priorities and a means of meeting these priorities are discussed. A survey of the history of and issues in police-community relations notes that the public's largely negative attitude toward the police has changed little over the centuries. In addition, the text identifies 16 organizational and structural deficiencies and describes them in terms of the vulnerabilities that police organizations must address in the development of sound police-community relations programs. Problems associated with the emergence of the patrol officer's role to encompass both law enforcement and peacekeeping and with the impact of senior officers on the socialization of new recruits are explored. Empirical vignettes illustrating the role-acquisition process of patrol officers are included. The text also addresses the impact of citizen participation and community control on policing and strategies for community involvement in police-community relations. Finally, recommendations are offered to improve police-community relations, with attention to methods of improving the quality of contacts between inner city residents and the police. Appendixes include an inventory of police-community relations programs and a discussion of the evaluation of such programs. Figures, tables, chapter notes, and an index are included.