POLITICAL TRAINING AND ATTITUDES OF TAIWAN'S POLICE RECRUITS

• NCJ Number: 66634
• Journal: International Journal of Comparative and Applied Criminal Justice Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (FALL 1979) Pages: 157-166
• Author(s): G MCBEATH
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 10 pages
• Corporate Author: Wichita State University
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: AN EARLIER VERSION OF THE ARTICLE WAS PRESENTED AT THE 1978 ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF ASIAN STUDIES ON THE PACIFIC COAST, JUNE 1978

Annotation

SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS AND POLITICAL ATTITUDES, AS WELL AS THE TRAINING, OF TAIWANESE POLICE RECRUITS IS EXAMINED. THE STUDY DISCLOSES DATA ON THE LOCAL POLICE IMPORTANT TO ANALYZING TAIWAN'S DOMESTIC SECURITY.

Abstract

THE INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED BY MEANS OF INTERVIEWS WITH EDUCATORS AND STUDENTS AND BY MEANS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED TO A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 316 POLICE RECRUITS AT THE 2 INSTITUTIONS WHICH TRAIN POLICE IN TAIWAN. THESE INSTITUTIONS INCLUDE THE PROVINCIAL POLICE ACADEMY, COMPARABLE TO A POLICE ADMINISTRATION PROGRAM IN A JUNIOR COLLEGE OR AN EXTENDED PRE-SERVICE PROGRAM, AND THE CENTRAL POLICE COLLEGE, COMPARABLE TO A 4-YEAR, LIBERAL ARTS INSTITUTION IN THE UNITED STATES. IN TERMS OF SOCIOECONOMIC BACKGROUND, POLICE RECRUITS IN TAIWAN ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY RURAL AND TAIWANESE IN ORIGIN; THEY ARE CHILDREN OF POORLY EDUCATED PARENTS WHOSE STATUS IS PERCEIVED TO BE LOW. FINDINGS ALSO SHOWED THAT MOST RECRUITS WERE HIGHLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE BASIC RULES OF TAIWAN'S INTERNAL POLITICS. THEY SHOWED LESS SUPPORT FOR POLITICAL TOLERANCE AND COMPETITION, AND ONE-THIRD WERE CYNICAL TOWARD GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. THE SITE OF EDUCATION APPEARED TO BE A MAJOR FACTOR IN PRODUCING DIFFERENCES IN ATTITUDES. RECRUITS TRAINED AT THE ACADEMY WERE MORE TOLERANT AND ACCEPTING OF COMPETITION, AND THEY WERE LESS CYNICAL; THOSE TRAINED IN THE REGULAR 4-YEAR PROGRAM WERE THE REVERSE. ELITE POLICE OFFICERS AND STAFF TEND TO BE DRAWN FROM THE LATTER INSTITUTION, AND LINE POLICE OFFICERS FROM THE FORMER. FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT RECRUITS IN THE ACADEMY TRAINING PROGRAM--WHO ARE THE MOST VISIBLE MEMBERS OF TAIWAN'S DOMESTIC SECURITY SYSTEM--ARE THE MOST TOLERANT, ACCEPTING OF COMPETITION, AND LEAST CYNICAL. IN CONTRAST, RECRUITS WHO ENTERED THE OFFICER CORPS, AND WHO WERE EXPOSED TO A 4-YEAR LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION, TENDED TO BE MORE AUTHORITARIAN, LESS TOLERANT, AND MORE CYNICAL TOWARD AUTHORITY. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DEG)