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Deviance, Violence, and Victimization: Are the Police a Part of the Problem or a Part of the Solution (From Policing in Central and Eastern Europe: Deviance, Violence, and Victimization, P 3-13, 2002, Milan Pagon, ed. -- See NCJ-206198)

NCJ Number
206199
Author(s)
Milan Pagon
Date Published
2002
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Drawing on the author's research on police and policing in Slovenia, this paper examines the nature and prevalence of deviance, violence, and victimization among Slovenian police by considering the ideal for policing held by new recruits, the reality of policing (actual behavior and attitudes of police in preforming their duties), the causes of police misconduct, and solutions.
Abstract
Research among Slovenian police trainees found they were inclined to believe that the police were effective, responsive, helpful, approachable, and professional. They also perceived police work as responsible, exciting, physically and intellectually challenging, and flexible. Research on the reality of policing in Slovenia focused on the disciplining of police officers, the sexual harassment of female officers by male officers, police officers' attitudes toward police corruption, and police attitudes toward refugees. Data on complaints against police indicate that approximately one out of every three officers has had a complaint lodged against him/her, and these complaints have been handled exclusively by the police themselves, with no involvement by the public or other institutions. Regarding sexual harassment among police officers, a survey of policewomen found that 51.1 percent had experienced indecent talk from their superiors, 44.8 percent had experienced verbal harassment, 16.1 percent had been seduced into a sexual relationship, 32.2 percent had encountered physical harassment, 7.1 percent had received direct demands for sexual favors, and one officer was occasionally sexually assaulted by force or serious threats. Research on police officers' attitudes toward various types of police misconduct found that officers' ratings of seriousness for various types of police misconduct were consistently lower than the severity ratings by citizens, indicating that the police are less concerned about police misconduct than are citizens. Compared with citizens, the police also reported the lowest level of acceptance of refugees and the least favorable beliefs about them. Another study found that police officer's attitudes toward involving citizens in cooperative work with police (community policing) was negative. Research on the causes of the various identified problems among Slovenian police attributed police problems primarily to the traditional paramilitary approach to policing. Solutions are suggested in the areas of policing philosophy; police priorities; police subculture; police recruiting, selection, and prevention; police training; mechanisms for dealing with police deviance; and the establishment of a moral climate within policing. A 12-item bibliography