SELECTING FOR A POLICE SUBCULTURE (FROM POLICE AMERICA, 1975, BY JEROME H SKOLNICK AND THOMAS C GRAY SEE NCJ-19813)

• NCJ Number: 19817
• Author(s): T C GRAY
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: Little, Brown and Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EXTENT OF THE POLICE SUBCULTURE AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE FORMAL POLICE ORGANIZATION ARE ILLUSTRATED IN THIS EXAMINATION OF POLICE SELECTION CRITERIA AS A PROCESS FOR SELECTING INDIVIDUALS WHO CONFORM TO THIS SUBCULTURE.

Abstract

THE USUAL SELECTION CRITERIA FOR POLICE - HIGH MORAL CHARACTER, LACK OF INVOLVEMENT WITH CRIME, STRONG GROUP LOYALTY, WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT PERSONAL RISK, AND ABOVE AVERAGE PHYSICAL CONDITION - ARE REVIEWED. SEVERAL POLICE INTERVIEWS WITH POTENTIAL RECRUITS ARE THEN EXAMINED, AND THE REASONS FOR ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION IN EACH CASE ARE INDICATED. IN EACH CASE, RECRUITS INDICATING AN ACCEPTANCE OF THE POLICE SUBCULTURE'S VALUES WERE USUALLY SELECTED. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT POLICE SELECTION PRACTICES ARE BASED ON THE CONVERGENCE OF THREE NEEDS: (1) THE LEGAL SYSTEM'S NEED FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN ENGAGE IN VIOLENCE, VIOLATE PRIVACY, USE DECEPTION, AND DENIGRATE THE CHARACTER OF ANOTHER; (2) THE FORMAL POLICE ORGANIZATION'S NEED FOR COMPETENT PERSONNEL, AND (3) THE POLICE SUBCULTURE'S NEED TO PROTECT ITS VALUE SYSTEM. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)