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Police and Culture: A Comparison Between China and the United States

NCJ Number
192304
Journal
Police Quarterly Volume: 4 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2001 Pages: 156-185
Author(s)
Allan Y. Jiao
Date Published
June 2001
Length
30 pages
Annotation
This article illustrates how cultures as larger social contexts and internalized values influence the organization, operations, and behaviors of police in China and the United States; some theoretical and policy implications for policing are discussed.
Abstract
The term "culture" is used in a broad sense in this article, referring to traditions, societies, economies, and communities, as well as social values and political philosophies that characterize a society. The information used in this article came from a series of police-related research projects conducted by the author in China and the United States from 1994 to 1999. Police organization and operations cannot deviate significantly from the commonly shared values and beliefs found in a particular society. In China, psychological and emotional ties to the family, the work group, and the society are crucial for behavior modification and maintenance of some amount of conformity. The Chinese police respond to these ties, and their community orientation reflects the nature of the Chinese people. American policing is characterized by a lack of political interference and an emphasis on police professionalism, which are difficult to develop in a politically controlled police system and a communitarian culture, such as exist in China. In the past two decades, the American police have been developing in the direction of community-oriented policing, which has been a feature in policing in communitarian societies. Similar to the Chinese emphasis on the moral role police play in the community and on institutionalized community public security networks, American police have put greater emphasis on officers' personal characteristics and community crime prevention. The Chinese police, on the other hand, are making great progress in modernizing themselves with advanced American management and response technology. The convergence of Chinese and American policing philosophies and strategies can only become possible when the Chinese and American cultures can be reconciled with each other and when conflicts between the two cultures are reduced. 5 notes and 59 references