NCJ Number
113752
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 36 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1988) Pages: 69-72
Date Published
1988
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Policing the Indochinese refugee population requires an understanding of its cultures and special needs.
Abstract
The Indochinese include Cambodians, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Laotians (Kmu, Hmong, Mien, Lao, and Thai Dam). The family and the village are of the utmost importance to the Lao who refrain from verbal or physical expression of feelings. The Hmong and Mien are clan-oriented and cling to old customs and traditions. Cambodians believe in reincarnation and are influenced by Animism, Brahminism, and Buddhism. The Vietnamese have a patriarchal social system in which children are taught obedience to elders. Police have a difficult time estimating crime in these communities because of underreporting attributable to fear of retaliation, fear of police, cultural characteristics, and perceived lack of police effectiveness. The emergence of Vietnamese youth gangs is the most serious threat to these refugee communities. Crimes of these gangs include extortion, robbery, rape, assault, theft, murder, and smuggling. Dealing with the Indochinese requires patience, knowledge, and determination on the part of police. Establishing rapport between police and the community can be facilitated by recruitment of Indochinese officers, meetings between police and community leaders and businesspersons, having interpreters available, providing pamphlets on crime prevention and victim programs in various dialects, and officer training programs.