Seminars conducted for 90 officers were evaluated by personal observation of the seminars in progress and by a comparison of seminar participants and nonparticipants. The evaluation revealed that the initial strong impact of the seminars tended to dissipate rather quickly over time. Other major findings were that seminar participants tended to…

Better understanding, openness, and trust among black and white police officers would increase police effectiveness in dealing with police-community relations. This study discusses a program to improve black-white police relations through role playing techniques and small group interactions on problems of human relationships. Longitudinal in…

This report is one of a series of five describing a 16-month study of the nature and extent of the private police industry in the United States, its problems, its present regulation, and how the law impinges on it. A general discussion of the sources of legal limitations upon private police activities and personnel and sources of legal powers is…

This report is the last in a series of five describing a 16-month study of the nature and extent of the police industry in the United States, its problems, its present regulation, and how the law impinges on it. In this volume, certain types of public forces not having general law-enforcement responsibilities are described, including reserve…

Underscores the importance of police officers understanding mental retardation when dealing with mentally retarded offenders. Describes a study comparing the effectiveness of two instructional methods for increasing officer knowledge about the mentally retarded. Discusses implications for police educators and ways of identifying mentally retarded…

Neither the schools, nor the juvenile justice system, nor the criminal justice system can cure the problem of juvenile crime, says the author. Before the problem can be solved, we must separate delinquency from criminality, and offer troubled youth some alternatives. (Editor/RK)

Describes the Erie Family Crisis Intervention Project. As a joint project of the police and social work professions, it utilizes the talents of both groups to provide services to families which are undergoing crisis or a mental health emergency. (SJL)

Presents a new approach to the problem of improving relationships between youth and the police. (Author)

Witness involvement in crime is examined using official statistics and controlled experimental methods. A model is developed to aid understanding of choices open to witnesses to crime and variables which may intervene. (Author/RC)

Explains how the needs children are trying to meet through gang involvement are the same ones that societies meet with rites of passage. Although gang rituals are antisocial, the needs they meet for youth are healthy. Offers several strategies that can be used when working with youth involved in gangs. Urges educators to help youth develop…

This study explores the clinical epidemiology of children's exposure to violence as addressed by a program in which mental health clinicians work with law-enforcement agents in 10 U.S. cities. Data were collected on all participants contacted by the Child Development Community Policing Program (N = 7,313 individuals involved in 2,466 community…

Several years ago the police department of Waterford, Connecticut and the local school administration viewed with great alarm the increasing tendency of school age youth to mistrust and misunderstand the criminal justice system. A program entitled "Freedom and the Law" was developed in response to this concern. The project was designed…

The Police Liaison Program (PLP) was established in Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada) elementary and secondary schools to improve police-community relationships; to increase understanding of the police role and of the individual's responsibilities in the community; and ultimately, to reduce juvenile delinquency. In 1981, the program was…

This report reviews the manner in which police handle citizen requests for social services. The focus is on how officers make their decisions--whether they handle such requests themselves, direct them elsewhere in the department, or refer citizens to other agencies. In their assessment of the literature on referral practices, the authors point out…