WHY POLICE BEHAVE THE WAY THEY DO (FROM POLICE IN AMERICA, 1975, BY JEROME H SKOLNICK AND THOMAS C GRAY SEE NCJ-19813)

• NCJ Number: 19814
• Author(s): J H SKOLNICK
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Little, Brown and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ANALYZES THREE ELEMENTS IN THE POLICE MILIEU, DANGER, AUTHORITY, AND EFFICIENCY, AS THEY COMBINE TO GENERATE DISTINCTIVE COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL RESPONSES IN POLICE.

Abstract

THE POLICEMAN'S ROLE CONTAINS TWO PRINCIPAL VARIABLES, DANGER AND AUTHORITY, WHICH SHOULD BE INTERPRETED IN THE LIGHT OF A CONSTANT PRESSURE TO APPEAR EFFICIENT. THE ELEMENT OF DANGER SEEMS TO MAKE THE POLICEMAN ESPECIALLY ATTENTIVE TO SIGNS INDICATING A POTENTIAL FOR VIOLENCE AND LAWBREAKING. THE ELEMENT OF AUTHORITY REINFORCES THE ELEMENT OF DANGER IN ISOLATING THE POLICEMAN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)