POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS UNITS - A NATIONAL SURVEY

• NCJ Number: 31837
• Journal: Journal of Social Issues Volume: 31 Issue: 1 Dated: (WINTER 1975) Pages: 2734
• Author(s): C E REASONS; B A WIRTH
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 8 pages
• Corporate Author: Soc for the Psychological Study of Social Issues
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF 50 POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS UNITS UNDERTAKEN TO ANAYLYZE SUCH FACTORS AS RECRUITMENT PROCEDURES, INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SUPPORT, STRUCTURE, EVALUATION, AND EXTENT OF RACIAL INTEGRATION.

Abstract

OTHER FACTORS ANALYZED BY MEANS OF THE SURVEY INCLUDED DEVELOPMENT, PURPOSE, HANDLING OF COMPLAINTS, AND RAPPORT AND DRESS. THE DATA FOR THIS STUDY WERE GATHERED THROUGH MAILED QUESTIONNAIRES SENT TO THE RANKING POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICER OF EACH CITY LISTED IN THE 1972 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICER ROSTER. OF THE 106 QUESTIONNAIRES SENT, 57 WERE RETURNED AND 50 WERE CODABLE. THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT WHILE THESE UNITS APPEAR TO BE LEADERS IN CERTAIN AREAS, PROBLEMS OF INTERNAL SUPPORT AND SUBSTANTIVE EXTERNAL CHANGE EXISTED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE SURVIVAL OF POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS UNITS MAY NECESSITATE THEIR STOPPING SHORT OF PROMOTING THE KIND OF SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES THEY WERE DESIGNED TO INITIATE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)