NCJ Number
11009
Date Published
1973
Length
324 pages
Annotation
SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF POLICE ORGANIZATION AND BEHAVIOR IN ENGLAND, EXPLAINING POLICE BEHAVIOR IN TERMS OF ROLE PRESSURES AND DEFINITIONS.
Abstract
THE STUDY IS BASED ON RESEARCH OF EXTANT LITERATURE, QUESTIONNAIRE INTERVIEWS WITH POLICEMEN AND THEIR WIVES, AND PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION OF BOTH URBAN AND RURAL FORCES. THE ORGANIZATION AND FUNCTIONS OF SAMPLE FORCES ARE OUTLINED, AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE BEAT POLICEMAN'S JOB IN RURAL AND CITY POLICE WORK IS PRESENTED. HIS INTERDEPENDENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE COMMUNITY, HIS WIFE AND FAMILY, SENIOR OFFICERS, AND COLLEAGUES ARE ANALYZED. TWO CHIEF GENERALIZATIONS MAY BE MADE. STRONG TIES OF MUTUAL DEPENDENCE (BOTH VERTICALLY AND HORIZONTALLY) AND EVIDENCE OF INSULAR ATTITUDES SHOWED THE CITY POLICE TO BE LARGELY AUTONOMOUS IN THEIR ROLE DEFINITION. THE CONVERSE WAS FOUND TO BE TRUE OF THE RURAL POLICE, WHO WERE MUCH MORE DEPENDENT UPON THE COMMUNITY, SOCIALLY AS WELL AS PROFESSIONALLY. THE SECOND GENERALIZATION DEALS WITH THE NATURE OF THE POLICE ROLE. THE URBAN ROLE, MAINLY DEFINED FROM WITHIN THE FORCE, WAS ONE OF 'THIEF-TAKING', THAT IS, CRIMINAL APPREHENSION. THE RURAL ROLE, DEFINED CHIEFLY BY THE PUBLIC, WAS ONE OF 'PEACE-KEEPING'. THE IMPLICATIONS OF THESE FINDINGS IN FUTURE POLICE ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT ARE DISCUSSED BY THE AUTHOR, WHO SEES A TREND TOWARD A MORE AUTONOMOUS, MORE CENTRALLY-CONTROLLED POLICE ROLE. EIGHT PAGES OF REFERENCES.