Law Enforcement: A Human Relations Approach

Bringing together insights from psychology, sociology, and anthropology, this book looks at the problems, the causes, and the solutions to police-community tension and strife. Beginning with a portrait of traditional police practices and the community in transition, there is an historical discussion of the problem of riot and dissent. This is carried through to contemporary issues. The social problems and the reasons or contributing factors leading to a poor police image are examined, and possible solutions are developed in detail. The second part of the work explores the subject of racial and community tension and minority group crime. It provides the law enforcement professional with a unique insight into minority-group problems relating to equal justice. It also offers incisive discussions of sociological change and community tension, and a valuable perspective of the psychology and significance of attitudes. The third and concluding section of this book offers a development of programs for prevention of the tensions and dissent that arise in community relations. It details the warning signs of problems, outlines the implications of group behavior, traces intergroup and interracial human relations, and develops community relations programs, detailing their nature and purpose. While retaining the law enforcement perspective, this book covers the entire range of social factors of importance to community relations. Suggested topics for discussion and annotated references are provided at the end of each chapter. Appended materials include a chronology of major American disorders, equal opportunity guidelines, a checklist for establishing effective means of dealing with community tensions and civil disturbances, and references sources for help in compiling community service referral directories.