NCJ Number
12903
Date Published
1974
Length
131 pages
Annotation
INVESTIGATION AND COMPARISON OF IMPORTANT ISSUES OF POLICE POLICY IN NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, AND CHICAGO FOR THE PERIOD COVERING 1966 TO 1969.
Abstract
THE BOOK FOCUSES ON THE THREE OVERLAPPING POLICY AREAS WHICH HAVE RECEIVED A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION IN THE NEWS MEDIA OF ALL THREE CITIES - CIVIL REVIEW AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE POLICE, THE 'LAW AND ORDER' ISSUE, AND POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS. THEY WERE SELECTED FOR STUDY BECAUSE OF THE WAY THEY DEMONSTRATE THE CHANGING POLITICAL ROLE OF THE POLICE IN SOCIETY. THE BOOK CONCENTRATES PRIMARILY ON THE PROCESS BY WHICH ISSUES ARE RESOLVED RATHER THAN ON A THOROUGH TREATMENT OF THE ISSUES THEMSELVES. FOR EACH ISSUE THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE NATURE OF DECISION-MAKING PARTICIPATION, INCLUDING THE POINT OF VIEW OF KEY PARTICIPANTS, POWER RESOURCES BROUGHT TO BEAR, AND THE DEGREE OF SUCCESS AS MEASURED BY THE OUTCOME OF AN ISSUE. ATTENTION IS DIRECTED TO DETERMINING WHICH INDIVIDUALS OR AGENCIES MOST OFTEN INITIATED THE PROPOSALS THAT WERE FINALLY ADOPTED OR MOST OFTEN SUCCESSFULLY VETOED THE PROPOSALS OF OTHERS. THE DOCUMENT DISCUSSES THE BASIC ENVIRONMENTAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE THREE CITIES CONSIDERED, THEIR POLITICAL AND GOVERNMENTAL STRUCTURE, AND SPECIAL QUALITIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ORGANIZATION. AN OVERVIEW OF PATTERNS OF POLICE POLITICS AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE OUTER PARAMETERS OF CITY POLITICS IS PRESENTED. THE APPENDIXES CONTAIN LISTS OF DECISION-MAKING CASES IN THE THREE SELECTED CITIES FOR THE PERIOD 1966-1969. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)