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Training the Police To Understand Society

NCJ Number
131758
Journal
Police Journal Volume: 64 Issue: 3 Dated: (July-September 1991) Pages: 269-271
Author(s)
M Gaba
Date Published
1991
Length
3 pages
Annotation
The training of police and other professionals should change so that they will develop an understanding of the many groups and individuals that make up society and will provide consistently compassionate, effective, and efficient service.
Abstract
Police, health care professionals, and others currently enter their professions as young people with little experience of life and with training that gives them only minimal understanding of society and individuals. The training does not overcome the ignorance and prejudice regarding elderly people, racial minorities, mentally ill people, and others. Police and other professionals would be more effective if they had work experience before entering training and received training on avoiding racist, sexist, and arrogant interactions with the public. Such training would greatly improve public attitudes toward the police. Footnotes