POLICE AUTHORITY AND THE LOW-INCOME BLACK FAMILY - AN AREA OF NEEDED RESEARCH (FROM CRIME AND ITS IMPACT ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY, 1976, BY LAWRENCE E GARY AND LEE P BROWN - SEE NCJ-48198)

• NCJ Number: 48210
• Author(s): J F SCOTT
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Howard University
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A CONCEPTUAL ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT ON CERTAIN SITUATIONAL FACTORS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF POLICE AUTHORITY IN QUELLING DISTURBANCES OCCURRING WITHIN LOW-INCOME BLACK FAMILIES IS PRESENTED.

Abstract

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE ANALYSIS ARE THREE-FOLD: (1) TO UNDERSCORE THE NECESSITY FOR POLICE TO PURSUE THE GOAL OF CRIME PREVENTION WITH THE SAME EMPHASIS AS CRIME CONTROL IN THEIR OPERATIONS IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY; (2) TO IDENTIFY RESEARCH NEEDS IN A SENSITIVE AREA OF POLICE-BLACK RELATIONS; (3) AND TO CONSIDER RESEARCH AREAS RELATING TO IMPROVED EVALUATION MEASURES OF THE SERVICE DELIVERY CAPABILITIES OF URBAN POLICE ORGANIZATIONS IN BLACK COMMUNITIES. THE SCOPE OF POLICE INVOLVEMENT IN INTRAFAMILY DISPUTES IN LOW-INCOME BLACK FAMILIES IS PINPOINTED AS A BASIC RESEARCH NEED. THE MEANS BY WHICH POLICE INTERVENTION IN THESE DISTURBANCES OCCURS AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH SUCH MEANS PREVENT THE ESCALATION TO MORE SERIOUS CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR ARE OTHER AREAS CITED FOR RESEARCH. DATA RESULTING FROM THE SUGGESTED STUDIES WOULD BE NECESSARY FOR DETERMINING THE ALLOCATION OF POLICE MANPOWER TO VARIOUS ASPECTS OF POLICE WORK AND ALSO FOR ASSESSING POLICE SERVICES AS MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES IN LOW-INCOME AND SOCIALLY DEPRIVED BLACK COMMUNITIES. THE INITIAL PROBLEM FOR POLICE WHEN DEALING WITH FAMILY CRISES IS BELIEVED TO BE THE UNCLEAR PERCEPTIONS OF THE AUTHORITY FOR AND CHARACTER OF POLICE INTERVENTION. THE MAJOR VARIABLE INFLUENCING THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICE RESPONSES TO DISTURBANCES IN LOW-INCOME BLACK FAMILIES IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH POLICE AUTHORITY IS ACCEPTED BY ONE OR MORE OF THE DISPUTANTS. THE FACTORS AFFECTING THE INITIAL EXERCISE OF POLICE AUTHORITY AND THE ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF THAT AUTHORITY ARE CONSIDERED CRITICAL CONCERNS FOR SOCIAL RESEARCH. POLICE RESPONSE REQUIRES CAREFUL STRATEGIC PLANNING BY POLICE MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL, BASED ON ADEQUATE RESEARCH. VARIABLES IN THE FAMILY STRUCTURE OF LOW-INCOME BLACK FAMILIES ARE EXAMINED IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE INITIAL ACCEPTANCE OF POLICE AUTHORITY, PARTICULARLY WITH REFERENCE TO THE FAMILY STATUS OF THE PERSON REQUESTING POLICE INTERVENTION. IT IS GENERALLY CONCLUDED THAT A STRONGER POLICE SUPPORT ROLE IS NECESSARY IN DISPUTES WITHIN LOW-INCOME BLACK FAMILIES IN ORDER TO PREVENT ESCALATIONS OF CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, AND THE DETERMINATION OF THE CHARACTER OF THIS SUPPORT ROLE CURRENTLY REQUIRES ADDITIONAL RESEARCH INTO THE FACTORS INVOLVED. REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)