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People of Color and Culture: The Future of California Law Enforcement

NCJ Number
137382
Author(s)
N D Lingle
Date Published
1992
Length
100 pages
Annotation
Programs that may be required to ensure that law enforcement will respond to the projected ethnic and racial composition of California's population by the year 2001 were examined by means of a literature review and interviews.
Abstract
Increases were predicted during the next 5-10 years in public confidence in law enforcement, the political influence of minority groups in the community, law enforcement administrative support for programs, the acceptance of racial sensitivity training by law enforcement, and the availability of minority applicants for police work. Likely events were predicted to include the election of minority group members to a majority of positions on a local governing body, the lowering of hiring standards for minorities, and reform of the civil rights law. The most feasible and desirable policies recommended were the development of a minority recruitment program and the establishment of a division of cultural affairs. A plan to manage the transition to the implementation of these policies was also developed. The analysis concluded that law enforcement must work in close partnership with communities and respond to communities' individual needs. Figures, notes, appended figures, and 31 references