NCJ Number
62895
Editor(s)
D BISHTON,
B HOMER
Date Published
1978
Length
47 pages
Annotation
INTERVIEWS WITH YOUTHS, PARENTS, AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN A BRITISH BLACK COMMUNITY ARE REPORTED REGARDING POLICE TREATMENT OF YOUNG BLACKS.
Abstract
INTERVIEWS WERE CONDUCTED WITH 34 YOUNG BLACK MEN AND WOMEN IN THE BIRMINGHAM AREA, RANGING FROM A STUDENT AT BIRMINGHAM UNIVERSITY TO MEMBERS OF CHURCH YOUTH CLUBS. MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF THE INTERVIEWEES TOLD OF AT LEAST ONE INCIDENT IN WHICH THEY WERE HARASSED OR HARMED BY POLICE, AND NEARLY HALF TOLD OF SUCH INCIDENTS OCCURRING TO FRIENDS. HALF OF THOSE INTERVIEWED SAW SUCH POLICE BEHAVIOR AS REFLECTIVE OF GENERAL RACIST ATTITUDES IN BRITISH SOCIETY. ALL THOSE INTERVIEWED EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN RESOLVING PROBLEMS IN RELATIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND THE BLACK COMMUNITY. MANY SUGGESTED THAT POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD RECEIVE SPECIAL TRAINING ABOUT THE WEST INDIAN CULTURE TO INCREASE POLICE SENSITIVITY TO THE NEEDS AND SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE BLACKS IN ENGLAND. INTERVIEWS WITH NINE BLACK PARENTS REVEALED A WIDE SPECTRUM OF OPINION ABOUT TENSIONS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND YOUTHS. SOME BLAMED RACIST TENDENCIES IN BRITISH SOCIETY, WHILE OTHERS FELT THAT BLACK YOUTH WERE OBLIGATED TO CONFORM TO THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE DOMINANT CULTURE. SIX INTERVIEWS WITH BLACK CHURCHMEN ALSO REVEALED THE EXISTENCE OF PROBLEMS BETWEEN THE POLICE AND BLACK YOUTH. PHOTOGRAPHS ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)