LEVELS OF ACCULTURATION AND OF ATTITUDES TOWARD DEVIANCE, CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, AND POLICE LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES AMONG PUERTO RICANS IN NEW YORK CITY

• NCJ Number: 25595
• Author(s): W L COTTON
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 419 pages
• Sale Source: UMI Dissertation Services
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: DISSERTATION - NEW YORK UNIVERSITY.

Annotation

THIS RESEARCH STUDY, BASED ON ATTITUDE AND OPINION QUESTIONNAIRES AND INTERVIEWS IN EAST HARLEM, INDICATES THAT THE DEGREE OF ACCULTURATION SIGNIFICANTLY AFFECTS ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, THE LAW, AND POLICE.

Abstract

LENGTH OF RESIDENCE IN THE UNITED STATES, ENGLISH PROFICIENCY, NON-PUERTO RICAN ASSOCIATIONS, AND ETHNIC IDENTIFICATION (AMERICAN OR PUERTO RICAN) WERE MAJOR DETERMINANTS OF DEGREE OF ACCULTURATION. THE MORE ACCULTURATED RESPONDENTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO AGREE WITH MIDDLE CLASS WHITE ATTITUDES TOWARD CRIME CAUSES AND PREVENTION, FAVORING INCREASED POLICE POWER AND STRONGER LAWS. LESS ACCULTURATED RESPONDENTS STRESSED POVERTY, LIVING CONDITIONS, DISCRIMINATION, AND DRUG USE AS CRIME CAUSES, AND AMELIORATION OF THESE CONDITIONS WAS GIVEN PRIORITY FOR CRIME PREVENTION. MOST FELT THE POLICE TO BE INEFFECTIVE AND BRUTAL TOWARD PUERTO RICANS, ALTHOUGH SOME OF THE LEAST ACCULTURATED SEEMED TO HAVE RETAINED SOME RESPECT FOR THEM. THIS RESPECT FOR THE POLICE AND THE LAW IS SAID TO DECREASE WITH GRADUAL ACCULTURATION UNTIL IT MAKES A SLIGHT REAPPEARANCE AMONG THE MOST OCCULTURATED. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THERE IS A NEED TO MAKE THE LAW AND ITS REPRESENTATIVES MORE RELEVANT TO THE NEEDS OF THE PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY.