AJ 58

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AJ 58 Community and Human Relations

• Chapter 11
• Community Policing and Special Populations

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Working with Special Groups

• Latter 19th century saw police catering to
  special groups due to political influence
• Professional Era of policing removed police from
  caring about/working with needs of special groups
• Human-relations focus of 1960s caused Law
  Enforcement to re-think services to Community
• Much more attentive to community needs and
  concerns
• Some groups present special concerns
• Juveniles, Homeless, Minorities, Tourists

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Juveniles

• Juvenile crime increasing, especially violent
  crime
• Juveniles also largely victimized
• Abuse, molestation, neglect, abandonment, etc.
• Police efforts must include
• Active discovering, investigating, prosecuting
  child exploitation
• Cooperation with child social agencies
• Linking families to assistance programs

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Violent Crimes by Juveniles

• What causes a juvenile to commit violent crimes?
• Abuse and neglect
• Poor socio-economic conditions
• Gangs
• Access to weapons
• Hopelessness
• Exposure to media-sensationalized violence
• Weakening of family unit
• Drug culture

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Dealing with Juvenile Violence

• Juvenile offenders often victims themselves
• High-risk activities, situations
• Police must identify Hot Spots and address them
  through
• Enforcement, Education, Community Action
• Providing recreational, cultural activities
• Working with schools to reduce crime and violence

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Youth Gangs

• Part of American history/culture
• Recent growth throughout US
• Approx. 5,000 gangs with 250,000 members
• Commonly shared gang characteristics
• Name and symbols
• Geographic territory, turf
• Hierarchy of leadership, organization
• Ongoing behaviors of criminality, control

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Identification of Gang Members

• Admits to being in a gang
• Tattoos, clothing, paraphernalia
• Police records/reports of gang involvement
• Arrested with other gang members during
  gang-related crime
• Reliable-informant information

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Why Join a Gang?

• Fill a void of social disorganization in
  lower-class communities
• Little access to traditional goals/success
• Wealth, power, recognition, fame
• Protection
• Fear-induced recruitment
• Gangs form as result of disorganization and
  disintegration of neighborhoods

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Community Policing Response to Gangs

• Target gang leaders, repeat violent offenders for
  arrest/prosecution
• Refer fringe members, families to services
• Provide preventive programs to at-risk kids
• Provide crisis-intervention, mediation for gang
  disputes
• Directed patrols of gang hot spots

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Dealing with the Homeless

• Homeless population estimated to be about 23
  million
• Fewer than 100,000 shelter beds available
• Reasons?
• Lack of affordable housing
• De-institutionalized mental health care
• Changes in federal welfare programs
• Unemployment, Cost-of-Living
• Breakdown of traditional family

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Homeless and the Police

• Police caught in the middle
• People fear the loitering/menacing homeless
• Complaints to police
• Victimization of homeless
• On the streets, in shelters
• Less likely to report
• Role of CPO
• Link to shelters, available services
• Link to employment opportunities

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Homeless Types

• Socioeconomic
• Forced to live homeless due to drastic change in
  economic circumstances
• Mentally Ill
• Not enough for hospitalization, but too
  disruptive/violent for family or friends
• Lifestyle
• Homelessness is a conscious choice
• Undocumented Immigrants
• Not likely to report crimes, may be involved in
  criminal behavior to survive

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Police Response to Homeless

• Departmental goals? Policies?
• Do they see homelessness as a problem?
• Many departments without specific policy rely on
  criminal violations to deal with homeless problem
• Alcohol, drugs, loitering, panhandling, etc.
• Community Policing Response
• Combine services with enforcement
• Cooperate with other agencies

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Police and Minorities

• Traditional barriers to positive relations
  between Minorities and Law Enforcement
• Recent recognition by Law Enforcement of the
  existence of a multicultural society
• Need for better services
• Minority concerns
• Victimization
• Hate crimes
• Arrest/incarceration
• Representation within law enforcement

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Minority Concerns (continued)

• Lack of police protection
• Poor level of available services
• Unfair treatment/harassment,
• Stereotyping
• Racial Profiling
• Excessive Force
• Discrimination

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Lightning Rods for Criticism

• Infamous incidents of racial tension
• Rodney King LAPD, 1991
• Abner Louima NYPD, 1997
• Amadou Diallo NYPD, 1999
• Rampart Division LAPD, 1999
• Common complaints
• High number of stops, detentions, arrests
• Racial Profiling

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Undocumented Immigrants

• Exact numbers unclear
• Some estimates at about 5 million
• Increases by about 275,000 per year
• High likelihood of victimization
• Not likely to report due to fear of deportation
• What is the primary role of Law Enforcement,
  enforcement or protection?
• Remember the 14th Amendment!

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Tourists and Transient Populations

• Populations of summer/winter resort destinations
  can change drastically
• Concerns for Police
• Reckless/irresponsible behavior
• Less likely to have stake in community
• Targets for victimization by local criminals
• Community Policing Efforts
• Work closely with hotels, businesses
• Education and awareness programs