Police and Culture: A Comparison between China and the United StatesJiao, Allan Y.
doi: 10.1177/109861101129197789pmid: N/A
Cross-cultural police studies allow an understanding of the range of variation and common elements in the field of policing. This article was written on the basis of information gathered on policing and its cultural environment in China and the United States. The relationship between police and culture was examined by comparing the Chinese and American police, taking into account the broader social processes and larger societal patterns. This article specifically illustrates how cultures as larger social contexts and as internalized values influence the organization, operations, and behaviors of police in these two countries. Some theoretical and policy implications for policing are discussed.
The Philosophy of Community Policing in ChinaWong, Kam C.
doi: 10.1177/109861101129197798pmid: N/A
This article is an investigation into the philosophy informing the People's Republic of China's (PRC's) community (more appropriately “mass” or “people”) policing. This article is divided into four parts. Part 1 states the focus and justifications of this research. Part 2, serving both as a literature review and a comparative context for the study of the PRC's community policing philosophy to follow, outlines in brief the U.S. approach to community policing. Part 3 describes the philosophy of Chinese community policing, past and present, as compared to the Western mode. Part 4 summarizes as it discusses the lessons provided by this investigation into PRC community policing philosophy, concluding that there is much similarity in spirit amid drastic differences in practice.
Using Police as Custodial Officers: An Analysis from the Perspective of International Human Rights StandardsDas, Dilip K.; Light, Stephen C.; Verma, Arvind
doi: 10.1177/109861101129197806pmid: N/A
This study explores the situation in which police officers are responsible for the care of prisoners. International human rights standards require these persons to have special expertise. Do police officers have such expertise? If not, then the use of police as custodial officers may violate prisoners' human rights. Police officers were interviewed in a sample taken in 10 nations from the 6 populated continents of the world. Results of the study suggest that the use of police officers in an extended custodial capacity may increase the likelihood of human rights violations, as set forth in United Nations agreements. The authors call for further research on the extent to which prisoners are being guarded by police officers across the world, and the outcomes that this situation creates for the incarcerated persons under their care.
A More Effective Training Approach for Contemporary PolicingBirzer, Michael L.; Tannehill, Ronald
doi: 10.1177/109861101129197815pmid: N/A
Training is an important tool in the process of facilitating change within police organizations. With the further implementation of community oriented policing strategies, the form and content of training curricula has increasingly become an area of scholarly focus. Likewise, the methods that police instructors use to teach subjects is of equal importance. Many police trainers rely heavily on a lecture- and teacher-centered approach when imparting knowledge to both neophyte and veteran police officers. Police trainers might benefit from a more student-centered instructional format. This article examines incorporating the theory of andragogy into police training. By utilizing andragogy, police officers will become more active and involved in the learning process. This approach may also help officers become more self-directed and in doing so reflect the trend toward community oriented policing.