NCJ Number
11508
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 1 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1973) Pages: 65-86
Date Published
1973
Length
22 pages
Annotation
QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO POLICEMEN TO EXAMINE THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LABELS USED BY POLICE TO REFER TO BLACKS AND RACIAL ATTITUDES OF THE POLICE.
Abstract
QUESTIONNAIRES ON PREFERRED RACIAL LABELS WERE COMPLETED BY ALL 396 SWORN MEMBERS OF THE 'LAKE CITY' POLICE DEPARTMENT (A POLICE DEPARTMENT IN AN INDUSTRIAL CITY IN ONE OF THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES). SEVERAL OPINION POLLS WERE ALSO USED TO COMPARE THE RACIAL ATTITUDES OF 'LAKE CITY' POLICE WITH THOSE HELD BY OTHER AMERICANS. THE RESULTS SHOW THAT MOST OF THE POLICEMEN STUDIED FAVOR THE LABEL NEGRO, AND THE OPINION POLLS SHOW THAT A MAJORITY OF THE BLACKS ALSO FAVOR NEGRO. A MAJORITY OF THE POLICE SAMPLED QUESTIONED THE LEGITIMACY OF BLACK DEMANDS BUT WERE MORE TOLERANT THAN A COMPARISON GROUP OF 154 NORTHERN AND 43 SOUTHERN WHITE MALE HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. CONTRARY TO A THEORY THAT THE USE OF DEROGATORY LABELS DOES NOT NECESSARILY INDICATE RACIAL BIAS, THE RESULTS SHOW THAT LABEL PREFERENCE IS RELATED TO RACIAL ATTITUDES. THIS RELATIONSHIP APPEARS TO HOLD FOR MOST SUBGROUPS OF POLICE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THOSE WHO ARE OLDER, IN RANK EIGHT YEARS OR MORE, AND SERGEANTS. A FOLLOW-UP STUDY EXAMINED A PROGRAM USING YOUNG BLACKS AS COMMUNITY SERVICE AIDES TO ESTABLISH LINES OF COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND RIOTING BLACKS DURING A PERIOD OF RACIAL DISORDERS. A COMPARISON MADE TO DETERMINE WHETHER RACIAL SENTIMENTS HAD CHANGED AS A RESULT OF ADDING BLACKS TO THE FORCE REVEALED A DECREASE IN THE PROPORTION OF POLICE WHO FAVOR INTEGRATION OF THE RACES AND AN INCREASE IN THE USE OF THE TERM BLACK.