Police Culture & Organisation Flashcards
Need to think about the possible reasons why the police may not be
up to scratch
Police culture and organisational factors may
play a part
Lots of literature on police culture, much derived from
early ethnographic work
Some reason to think that these general elements of police working culture may impact negatively on response to
DA
SKOLNICK (1966) propose the…
‘WORKING PERSONALITY’
SKOLNICK 1966 the ‘WORKING PERSONALITY’: Police work is characterised by 3 things:
AUTHORITY
EFFICIENCY
DANGER
SKOLNICK 1966 the ‘WORKING PERSONALITY’:
Authority consists of (3):
‘The Attitude Test’
Being in ‘Contempt of Cop’
Like it to be respected
SKOLNICK 1966 the ‘WORKING PERSONALITY’:
Authority - affects how officers perceive individuals (victims/offenders) as…
reasonable or uncooperative
SKOLNICK 1966 the ‘WORKING PERSONALITY’:
Authority - BUT officers need to be prepared for all ways in a victim of CC may…
‘present’ to them
SKOLNICK 1966 the ‘WORKING PERSONALITY’:
Authority - officers also find it difficult when victims are drunk, and it can lead to ‘victim blaming’ BUT remember many victims develop substance abuse and anxiety or behavioural disorders as a result of…
the abuse
SKOLNICK 1966 the ‘WORKING PERSONALITY’:
Efficiency consists of (3):
Performance indicators
Frontline cops have a lot of autonomy
Still a focus on arrests and clear up rates
SKOLNICK 1966 the ‘WORKING PERSONALITY’:
Danger consists of (2):
Dangerous people and situations
DA often perceived as dangerous as can be ‘kicking off’, but mostly it’s not exciting