Place and Role of the Human Sciences in Police Training Programmes

• NCJ Number: 82942
• Journal: International Criminal Police Review Volume: 36 Issue: 353 Dated: (December 1981) Pages: 284-291
• Author(s): H Souchon
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: France
• Note: Lecture given on November 18, 1980 at the Escola de la Guardia Urbana, Barcelona, Spain.

Annotation

This paper discusses the benefits of introducing criminology and human sciences such as psychology into police training programs and describes the human science courses currently offered to trainee commissaires in the French police.

Abstract

The two international police conferences held in 1980 both emphasized the police officer's new awareness of community pluralism and sensitivity to human rights. This trend raises certain questions concerning the ability of police organizations to integrate major social trends, the adaptation of traditional repressive strategies, and the search for police identity as evidenced in increased professionalism and unionism. Pragmatic and legalistic approaches to policing have produced a society of control and assistance, but the introduction of human sciences into police training will enable a police officer to detect and thus anticipate causes of social malfunctioning and respect the specific laws of a given community. This curriculum must be accompanied by a research program, and both should be guided by concerns for realism and efficiency. The National Higher Police Academy in France offers a 9-month training course, half of which is devoted to police matters and crime investigation while the other portion addresses social and legal subjects. Students are closely involved with planning and implementing the program and participate in practical research projects as well as lecture classes. Resistance to criminology training has been overcome by lectures based on actual research rather than general theories. The study of criminology makes a police officer aware of the effects of systems and structures, the impact of decisions taken, the role played by the environment in criminal behavior, and the human nature of the criminal. For example, knowledge of the notions of stigmatization and labelling should improve a police officer's performance. The paper includes seven references.