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ATTITUDES OF CERTAIN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL TOWARD DRUG LAWS AND DRUG OFFENDERS

NCJ Number
47748
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 3 Issue: 3 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1975) Pages: 354-362
Author(s)
F J FERNEZ
Date Published
1975
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE ATTITUDES OF 85 POLICE RECRUITS, 140 POLICE OFFICERS, 26 ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS, AND 30 PROBATION OFFICERS IN SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y., TOWARD DRUG LAWS, DRUG OFFENDERS, AND DRUG LAW PENALTIES ARE EXAMINED.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY IS TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL SOCIALIZATION ON THE ATTITUDES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE PERSONNEL TOWARD DRUG LAWS AND DRUG OFFENDERS. THE RECRUITS WERE SURVEYED BEFORE AND AFTER THEIR ACADEMY TRAINING. THEIR PRETRAINING AND POSTTRAINING RESPONSES WERE ANALYZED FOR CHANGES OF ATTITUDE, AND THEIR POST-TRAINING RESPONSES WERE COMPARED WITH THE RESPONSES OF POLICE OFFICERS. THE POLICE OFFICERS' RESPONSES WERE COMPARED WITH THOSE OF THE ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEYS AND PROBATION OFFICERS. THE ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT RECRUITS DO UNDERGO A SOCIALIZATION PROCESS AS THE RESULT OF TRAINING. THE RECRUITS CHANGED THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD DRUG LAWS, USAGE, AND PENALTIES TO CONFORM WITH THE ATTITUDES OF POLICE OFFICERS. WHILE RECRUITS MAINTAIN THEIR BELIEF THAT DRUG-RELATED OFFENSES ARE SERIOUS, THEY ALSO MOVE TO ACT IN CONCERT WITH POLICE OFFICERS' HARDER ATTITUDES TOWARD CERTAIN ASPECTS OF DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT. IN GENERAL, POLICE ATTITUDES ARE HARDER THAN THOSE HELD BY OTHER ELEMENTS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, ALTHOUGH ALL ELEMENTS TEND TO THINK THAT COURTS HAVE TOO MUCH DISCRETION IN SENTENCING DRUG OFFENDERS, THAT THE 'ADDICT' LABEL IS NOT HARMFUL, AND THAT EXISTING LAWS DO NOT DETER DRUG CRIMES. IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)

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