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Students' Attitudes Toward the Police in Slovenia (From Policing in Central and Eastern Europe: Comparing Firsthand Knowledge With Experience From the West, P 531-538, 1996, Milan Pagon, ed. -- See NCJ-170291)

NCJ Number
170336
Author(s)
G Mesko; P Umek; K Musek
Date Published
1996
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A questionnaire that contained the Semantic Differential was administered to 50 students of the College of Police and Security Studies (CPSS) in Ljubljana (Slovenia) and 42 students of various institutions within the University in Ljubljana during the school year 1995-96; students assessed the "real" police officer, self, and the "ideal" police officer.
Abstract
Analyses of variance showed significant differences in the assessments of "real" police officers by CPSS students and the other students, with CPSS students rating "real" police officers more highly than did the other students. Both student groups, however, rated "real" police officers low on the item "policemen are respected-not respected." There were also statistically significant differences between the two student groups in self- descriptions, with the students from other institutions being more critical of themselves than the CPSS students. Despite the tendency of CPSS students to give more positive answers about their social desirability, they rated themselves lower on intelligence than did the other students, perhaps reflecting their assessment of the "real" police officer in this regard. Differences between the student groups in assessing the "ideal" police officer were not statistically significant. This suggests that even the students who are highly critical of "real" police officers still perceive the importance of the work of the police and hold a high image of ideal police characteristics. In planning reform of police behaviors and policies, police managers should focus on the areas with the largest gaps between the two groups of students. 3 figures