NCJ Number
81052
Date Published
1979
Length
25 pages
Annotation
This paper examines three concepts of alienation -- alienation arising from working conditions, alienation of society, and alienation from the social system -- and discusses what relevance these concepts may have to police attitudes.
Abstract
Most studies of worker alienation follow Marxian theory in attributing allienation to workers involved in some form of industrial production. Although some conditions of police work can and do cause dissatisfaction, police discretion and autonomy preclude any comparison with workers whose alienation arises, if the theorists are correct, from subjection to production lines or other production techniques. Furthermore, if all values and norms in capitalist countries are perverted by economic relationships, then the enforcers of those values must be among the most severely alienated groups in those countries. Another body of research suggests that 'social alienation' is the most significant element of alienation affecting the police in that police officers' reaction to their power can be crucial in forming their attitudes and that their reaction will be tempered by the opinions of their colleagues and the attitudes of the public. A study of officers' attitudes regarding the honesty, trustworthiness, generosity, etc., of the people in general was conducted at the Police Staff College in Britain, using a sample comparison group of American college students. The survey shows that there is a significant lack of faith in others on the part of the police sample compared with the student. However, attitudes of separation or aloofness are not unique to the police and police cynicism may not be as profound or as debilitating as suggested. Endnotes and the attitude survey are appended.