PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE

• NCJ Number: 16234
• Author(s): N D WALKER; R J RICHARDSON
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 38 pages
• Corporate Author: University of North Carolina
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC CONTACT, SATISFACTION AND ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE, BASED ON PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 1,148 NON-INSTITUTIONALIZED ADULTS IN NORTH CAROLINA.

Abstract

SURVEY RESEARCH REVEALED THAT MAJOR PORTIONS OF THE POPULATION COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GOVERNMENT THROUGH USE OF POLICE SERVICES. THESE CONTACTS, HOWEVER, ARE NOT EQUALLY BENEFICIAL AND ARE EVIDENCE OF DIFFERENTIAL TREATMENT RESULTING FROM POLICE DISCRETIONARY POWER. SATISFACTION WITH POLICE PERFORMANCE WAS FOUND TO BE HIGH, ALTHOUGH DISSATISFACTION IS CLEARLY VISIBLE AMONG BLACKS, THE POOR AND THE YOUNG. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT CONTACT WITH THE POLICE HAS A SHORT-TERM IMPACT ON THE ATTITUDINAL STANCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL AS WELL AS A LONG-TERM EFFECT ON THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT FOR THE POLICE. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)