TOWARD A THEORY OF POLICE BEHAVIOR - SOME CRITICAL COMMENTS (FROM POLICE ROLES IN THE SEVENTIES PROFESSIONALIZATION IN AMERICA, 1975 BY JACK KINTON - SEE NCJ-31601)

• NCJ Number: 31609
• Author(s): F P WILLIAMS
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 15 pages
• Corporate Author: Social Science and Sociological Resources
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE AUTHOR ATTEMPTS TO CONTRIBUTE TO MOTIVATIONAL THEORY OF POLICE BEHAVIOR, BOTH AT THE ORGANIZATIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL LEVELS, BY INCORPORATING OPERANT LEARNING THEORY, WHICH INCLUDES CONCEPTS OF REWARD AND PUNISHMENT.

Abstract

PRIOR THEORETICAL WORK IS REVIEWED AND THE CHAMBLISSSEIDMAN THEORY OF POLICE BEHAVIOR IS SAID TO COME CLOSEST TO COMBINING STRUCTURAL AND PROCESSUAL LEVELS OF EXPLANATION INTO AN INTEGRATED SYSTEM. THE ADDITION OF OPERANT LEARNING THEORY AS AN EXPLANATORY DEVICE IS SAID TO ELABORATE ON THE PROCESSUAL ASPECTS OF THE THEORY. IN SO DOING, FOUR GENERAL LEVELS OF PROCESSUAL EXPLANATION ARE DEVELOPED AND EXAMINED IN LIGHT OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CHAMBLISS-SEIDMAN STRUCTURAL CONFLICT ORIENTATION. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)