NCJ Number
56243
Journal
Revue internationale de criminologie et de police technique Volume: 31 Issue: 3 Dated: (JULY-SEPTEMBER 1978) Pages: 251-258
Date Published
1978
Length
8 pages
Annotation
AN AMERICAN CRIMINOLOGY PROFESSOR CHANGES HIS POSITION ON OFFENDERS AND THE POLICE, ESPECIALLY WITH REGARD TO BOTH OF THEIR RELATIONSHIPS TO SOCIETY, WHEN HE ASSUMES THE ROLE OF A POLICE OFFICER.
Abstract
AFTER CRITICIZING POLICE BEHAVIOR FROM THE CLASSROOM, A 31-YEAR-OLD PROFESSOR WAS PERSUADED BY POLICE OFFICERS IN HIS CLASSES THAT HE SHOULD TRY BEING AN OFFICER HIMSELF IN ORDER TO GRASP THE SITUATION BETTER. DESPITE OPPOSITION BY HIS FAMILY AND COLLEAGUES, HE WAS ABLE TO WORK OUT AN ARRANGEMENT WITH THE SHERIFF OF JACKSONVILLE, FLA., A TOWN WITH CRIME PROBLEMS REPRESENTATIVE OF AN EXPANDING AMERICAN CITY, INCLUDING A BLACK GHETTO IN THE PROCESS OF URBAN RENEWAL. IT WAS AGREED THAT HE WOULD PARTICIPATE IN TESTS, TRAINING, AND FUNCTIONS OF A NORMAL OFFICER FOR 4-6 MONTHS. IN HIS FIRST DAYS OF PATROLLING HE LEARNED FIRST HAND OF THE DISRESPECT AND DERISION EXPERIENCED DAILY BY THE UNIFORMED OFFICER AS WELL AS OF THE BRUTALITY OF THE SITUATIONS IN WHICH OFFICERS MUST OPERATE. IN THIS ROUGH CONTEXT, KINDNESS WAS INTERPRETED AS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS AND AN INVITATION TO RESPOND WITH VIOLENCE. AS A POLICE OFFICER HE WAS VIEWED AS AN AUTHORITY FIGURE, DESPITE HIS PREVIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL OPPOSITION TO EXERCISING AUTHORITY OVER OTHERS. FOR THE FIRST TIME HE CAME TO UNDERSTAND OFFENDERS AS INDIVIDUALS WHO THREATEN HIS PERSONAL SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF SOCIETY INSTEAD OF AS INOFFENSIVE VICTIMS OF SOCIETY, THE VIEW HELD BY THE SYMPATHETIC BUT NAIVE PROFESSOR IN EARLIER PRISON VISITS. MOST IMPRESSIVE WAS THE SENSATION OF COLD FEAR WHICH HE FELT WHEN HAVING TO ARREST A DANGEROUS INDIVIDUAL WHO RESISTED AND WAS AIDED BY ON-LOOKERS; HE BECAME CONVINCED THAT OFFICERS NEED GUNS TO PROTECT THEIR LIVES, AND THAT CONTRARY TO HIS EARLIER BELIEFS, THE PUBLIC RELATIONS DAMAGE CAUSED BY ARMING OFFICERS IS MEANINGLESS. --IN FRENCH. (KMD)