NCJ Number
69202
Journal
PUBLIC AFFAIRS Issue: 76 Dated: (AUGUST 1979) Pages: COMPLETE ISSUE
Date Published
1979
Length
8 pages
Annotation
THE REPORT ANALYZED A STUDY OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE (IACP) ON ROBBERY-RELATED POLICE ASSAULT INCIDENTS AND FOUND ASSAILANTS TO BE YOUNG, NONWHITE MALES, AND USUALLY UNEMPLOYED.
Abstract
AMERICAN SOCIETY HAS ALWAYS REGARDED VIOLENCE AS AN ACCEPTABLE FORM OF BEHAVIOR IN CERTAIN PRESCRIBED INSTANCES. THE USE OF VIOLENCE HAS ALSO BEEN A JUSTIFIABLE PART OF POLICE ACTION, BUT RECENTLY ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON VIOLENCE AGAINST POLICE. DURING 1969-73, 21.4 PERCENT OF THE POLICE OFFICERS KILLED WERE MURDERED WHILE DEALING WITH ROBBERY SITUATIONS. THE IACP STUDY ENCOMPASSED 83 ASSAULT EVENTS OR SITUATIONS, WHICH PRODUCED 143 INCIDENTS OF ASSAULT AGAINST POLICE. A TOTAL OF 109 OFFICERS WERE ASSAULTED BY 125 SUSPECTS, THE PHYSICAL CONTACT SUMMARY FORM USED IN THE STUDY GATHERED INFORMATION ON THE POLICE DEPARTMENT INVOLVED, THE ASSAULTED OFFICER, THE SUSPECTED ASSAILANT, THE ASSAULT ENVIRONMENT, INJURIES SUSTAINED, AND OFFICER TRAINING. IT ATTEMPTED TO PRODUCE A DESCRIPTIVE PROFILE OF THE ROBBERY-RELATED POLICE ASSAULT AND ALSO TO COMPARE SUCH ASSAULTS WITH OTHER ROBBERS AND OTHER ASSAILANTS. ALL THE ASSAILANTS STUDIED WERE MALE. MOST (84.9 PERCENT) WERE UNDER 30 WITH 41.2 PERCENT BETWEEN 20 AND 24, PREDOMINANTLY BLACK (76.8 PERCENT) AND USUALLY UNEMPLOYED (81 PERCENT). THE LOW INCIDENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE BEFORE THE ASSAULT CONTRASTS SHARPLY WITH GENERAL POLICE ASSAULTS AND CLOSELY RESEMBLES ROBBERY SITUATIONS. OVERALL, OFFENDERS IN ROBBERY-RELATED POLICE ASSAULTS WERE MORE SIMILAR TO ROBBERY OFFENDERS THAN TO ASSAULT OFFENDERS. IN ADDITION, COMPARABLE DATA ON SUCH OFFICER VARIABLES AS AGE, LENGTH OF SERVICE, ETC., ARE NEEDED BEFORE ANY FIRM CONCLUSIONS ABOUT OFFICER VULNERABILITY OR PRONENESS TO ASSAULT DURING ROBBERY CAN BE DRAWN. A TOTAL OF 40 FOOTNOTES AND TABLES ARE INCLUDED.