Criminal Justice
Law enforcement officials often project the image that a police force is aclosed society. Some officers are male and some female; some Black andsome white, but when they join the force, the image presented is that theyview themselves as "blue through and through." Privately, though, some Black-American police officers do not feelthat they are consistently treated with respect, without regard to theirracial background, and many feel that police bureaucracy is riddled withinstitutional racism -- that is, habits and patterns that result in racismthat is not consciously intended -- that makes casual racism both part ofevery day life as a police officer and unnoticed by those who are not ofthe minority race. Others may feel that at least some racism within policeforces involves intent to act in a bigoted way. To discuss the topic intelligently, the term "institutional racism"needs to be clarified. That term acknowledges the fact that everyorganization tends to develop its own subculture, or informal and unstatedbeliefs generally shared by most. An organization's subculture mightinclude a variety of positive beliefs. For instance, if an organizationadopts the view that it is good for emp
(2001), however, is detailed, precise, and makes a strongcase for the idea that early screening practices can result in biasedhiring even when strong efforts are made further down the line in thehiring process to hire people of all backgrounds. A Black alderman in the city, WillieHines, says that Jones has been subjected to the scrutiny because hechallenged the way the city hired new policemen. However, some writers have found that the media activelylooks for racial overtones to issues. Milwaukee Police Chief Arthur Jones recently filed what is believed tobe the first-ever racial discrimination complaint with the Equal EmploymentOpportunity Commission (EEOC) by a sitting police chief (Staff writers,2002). Civil Rights policyrequire discrimination against white males. A third Black officer shot and critically wounded a Black suspectwho robbed a bank and then pointed the gun at the police officer. In fact many of these incidents involved Blackofficers, not white (Murdock, 2001). Two Black officers shot and killed two Black suspects that shotat them. Federal agencies have eveninstructed managerial personnel that job requirements do not have to be metif they result in the hiring and promotion of white males. In a study done recently in England, an investigation of the Londonpolice department found that institutional racism was widespread andpresent within the department as well in how the force dealt with thepublic (Bourne, 2001). Somewhere, the truth is buried among all the differingopinions. " (Murdock, 2001) Researchers have tried to look at the process of selecting employeesfrom fields of candidates and have found evidence of institutionalizedracism in the form of early selection processes. Individual police forces will have to continue tomonitor themselves and remain sensitive to the comments and perceptions ofall their employees.
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