NCJ Number
53023
Date Published
1977
Length
35 pages
Annotation
QUESTIONS OF DEFINITION AND DIMENSION ARE ADDRESSED IN A CONCEPTUAL DISCUSSION OF THE NATURE OF POLICE PROBLEMS, AND NINE SITUATIONS PERCEIVED AS PROBLEMS BY AUSTRALIAN POLICE ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
A 'PROBLEM' IS AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT THAT DOES NOT EASILY LEND ITSELF TO OPERATIONAL DEFINITION. ELEMENTS OF SUCH A DEFINITION INCLUDE SUBSTANTIAL AGREEMENT AS TO THE EXISTENCE OF A PROBLEM, CRITERIA REGARDING THE DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY NECESSARY FOR A SITUATION TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A PROBLEM, AND DETERMINATION OF WHO IS ENTITLED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE DEFINITION OF A PROBLEM. IN POLICE FORCES, ONE USEFUL PROBLEM-DEFINING CRITERION MIGHT BE SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PERFORMANCE. IT MIGHT ALSO PROVE USEFUL TO RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES OF POLICE PROBLEMS: THOSE DEFINED EXCLUSIVELY BY POLICE, AND THOSE DEFINED BY NONPOLICE GROUPS OR BY SOCIETY IN GENERAL, IN THE ABSENCE OF POLICE CONCURRENCE. A KEY FACTOR IN UNDERSTANDING POLICE FORCES IS POLICE ADMINISTRATORS' SENSITIVITY TO THE DEGREE OF CONTROL THEY MAY EXERCISE IN ORGANIZATIONAL OR FUNCTIONAL MATTERS. INTERNAL MATTERS GENERALLY ARE MOST EASILY CONTROLLED OR REMEDIED, WHEREAS SITUATIONS AT THE POLICE-PUBLIC INTERFACE ARE MORE DIFFICULT. SITUATIONS EXCLUSIVE TO THE PUBLIC ARE LEAST EASILY CONTROLLED. SUCH DIMENSIONS ARE USEFUL IN GENERAL ANALYSIS BUT ARE NOT PECULIAR TO PROBLEM SITUATIONS. MORE HIGHLY FOCUSED ANALYSIS, SUCH AS MAY BE ACHIEVED IN A PROBLEM CONTEXT, IS REQUIRED FOR AN UNDERSTANDING OF CONSEQUENCES, CAUSES, AND UNDERLYING PATHOLOGY. INTERVIEWS WITH MEMBERS OF POLICE FORCES ON THE EASTERN COAST OF AUSTRALIA LED TO IDENTIFICATION OF NINE PERCEIVED PROBLEMS: UNSATISFACTORY REPORTING PROCEDURES, INADEQUATE SELECTION STANDARDS, INADEQUATE LEVELS OF FUNDING, LACK OF CLEAR DEFINITION OF POLICE GOALS AND FUNCTIONS, CONSTRAINTS ON CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, INTERFERENCE FROM MEMBERS OF OTHER OCCUPATIONS, BIASED MEDIA REPORTING, LACK OF PUBLIC UNDERSTANDING OF POLICE SERVICES, AND LOW PUBLIC OPINION OF POLICE. THE FIRST THREE PROBLEMS ARE CATEGORIZED AS ORGANIZATIONAL, THE OTHERS AS FUNCTIONAL. THE EMPLOYEES SURVEYED REGARDED ALL THE PROBLEMS AS SUBSTANTIAL--WORTHY OF STUDY IN THER OWN RIGHT. ONLY FUNCTIONAL PROBLEMS WERE PERCEIVED AS INTERCONNECTED; ORGANIZATIONAL PROBLEMS APPEAR TO BE QUITE DISCRETE. SEVEN OF THE PERCEIVED PROBLEMS APPEAR TO HAVE SOME EMPIRICAL BASIS. EVIDENCE IS LACKING ON THE PERCEIVED PROBLEMS OF PUBLIC OPINION AND INADEQUATE FUNDING. ONE RESEARCH PRIORITY IS THE VALIDATION OF POLICE PERCEPTIONS OF PUBLIC OPINION. NO SUPPORTING DATA OR INFORMATION ON THE SURVEY SAMPLE ARE PROVIDED. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS INCLUDED. (LKM)