Purchase Solution

Diversity in Policing and Psychology

Not what you're looking for?

Ask Custom Question

In order to work with diverse populations, police professionals must be aware of areas of concern that are specific to the populations they serve. Police professionals also must consider and adopt an appropriate style of interaction for each population. Those who do acquire the necessary skills specific to working with a particular population may find themselves more sensitive to the needs of the population, which may, as a result, improve community relationships. Forensic psychology professionals are instrumental in teaching these interactional skills to police professionals.

An examination of Boro Park, a small community in Brooklyn, New York, illustrates this point (Heilman, 2003). A small group of Hasidic Jews lives in this community. On Saturdays, the Hasidim do not work or drive their cars. Men are not allowed to be touched in any way by women who are not their wives, and all members eat only specially prepared foods. There are other religious laws that the Hasidim adhere to as well. If the police do not respect these values, there can be unrest and law enforcement difficulties. As a result, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has sanctioned a specific group, composed of members of this Jewish community, to handle emergencies in Boro Park. This special group responds to emergency calls and assists the NYPD in addressing certain investigations. Because of police professionals' understanding and working with this particular group, the relationship between law enforcement and the community is a good one, members of the community cooperate with police professionals, and law enforcement problems have been reduced.

Select a specific diverse population that is of interest to you.
Think about the challenges that police professionals could experience when communicating with this selected population.
Consider how forensic psychology professionals could assist police professionals with these communication challenges.
Think about the impact that forensic psychology professionals could have on the communication effectiveness of police professionals when interacting with diverse populations.

Describe the diverse population you selected for this assignment.
Analyze the challenges police professionals experience when communicating with your selected population, and explain how a forensic psychology professional would assist police professionals with these challenges.
Evaluate the potential impact of forensic psychology professionals on the effectiveness of police professional communication when interacting with diverse populations.

Purchase this Solution
Solution Summary

The solution provides information, assistance and advice in tackling the task (see above) on the topic of policing issues in diversity with the Hmong-Americans discussed as an example. Resources are listed for further exploration of the topic.

Solution Preview

Diversity, Psychology and Policing

According to Prosser (2007), "Change occurs whether you want it or not. It is the charge of a professional public safety agency to be flexible, to adapt, and to provide professional services to any and to all regardless of birthplace, language, or skin color." The change Prosser (2007) alludes to here is the ethnic make-up of a community and the larger society. Where once there are only 2 or 3 ethnicities with one specific majority, immigration due to a number of reasons (economic, political, conflict, etc.) has changed that, creating a more ethnically diverse America. What then does this mean? For Prosser (2007) who reports of the issues in relation to diversity and policing in near rural Storm Lake City, Iowa - it meant grappling with issues related to culture, language, practices and a host of other barriers. Storm Lake since the 70's have become the home of Southeast Asian Refugees due to the Vietnam conflict followed by a large wave of Hispanic economic migrants and in the 90's conflict refugees from Ethiopia, Somalia and recently, Sudan. Here, I would like to present a focus on the Hmong - an ethnic group from Southeast Asia whose displacement and persecution from their homebases in the 70's due to Marxist and Communist-sanctioned ethnic and religious cleansing (in North Vietnam, Laos and Thailand) led to the enactment of the US Refugee Act of 1975 paving the way for thousands to be resettled in the US. Today, the Hmong number around 260,000 plus and are spread across the US but mostly in California, Minnesota and Wisconsin. While Hmong-Americans are largely assimilated into the larger American culture, in the earlier days, and increasingly among new arrivals and those who hold their ethnic culture of the highest import in the way they live often find it difficult to relate with larger practices or to access available policing ...

Solution provided by:
Xenia Rochelle Jones, MA, PhD (IP)
Education
  • MPhil/PhD (IP), Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • MA, Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
  • Certificate, Geva Ulpan (via Universita Tel Aviv)
  • BA, University of the Philippines
Recent Feedback
  • "Thank you!:)"
  • "Excellent, thank you!:)"
  • "Thank you for your timely help. I have submitted another posting (656038) and assigned it directly to you. Please help."
  • "Thank you so much for your timely help. Much appreciated."
  • "Thanks so much for your support."
Purchase this Solution
Free BrainMass Quizzes
A Review of Qualitative and Quantitative methodologies

This quiz is designed to test your knowledge of qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Knowing the difference between the two can help in making the important decision of which to use when conducting research.

Developmental Psychology

This quiz explores the concepts, theories and key terminology associated with human psychological development.

Psychoanalysis and Sigmund Freud

This quiz explores the personality theory of psychoanalysis, in particular reference to how Freud conceptualized of this theory.

Role of Memory in Learning

This quiz addresses the role of memory in the learning process. The quiz differentiates between the different types of memory that facilitate learning.

Key Psychology Theories and their Developers

Match which psychologist developed and/or contributed to which theory.

View More Free Quizzes
Related BrainMass Solutions

  • Diversity and Policing (a Topic in Police Psychology)

    607873 Diversity and Policing (a Topic in Police Psychology) The term diversity, as used in this course, is defined broadly to include not only race and ethnicity, but also religion, gender, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, physical ability,

  • Psychological Skills for the Police Professional

    There is a dynamic relationship between psychology and policing in that psychological knowledge helps further the purpose and function of police units.

  • Forensic Psychology - Contributions to Policing

    606090 Forensic Psychology - Contributions to Policing To truly understand a field of study, you must first understand its place and relevance in history.

  • Methods of Policing in a Diverse Community

    In a 2-page essay discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the approach to diversity taken by this town and its police department.

  • Diversity in Psychology

    467042 Diversity in Psychology 1.) What is diversity? 2.) How is diversity understood in Psychology? 3.) How does diversity impact economic considerations? 4.) How does diversity impact political considerations? 5.)

  • Forensic Psychology: Police Operations Support Role

    Research over time in the field of psychology and policing has shown that false claims are common or in some cases, false memories.

  • Police Psychology - Role Challenges

    URL: http://www.spiritofthelaw.org/sol1art12.html The solution provides information, assistance and advise in tackling the task (see above) on the topic of challenges to a role in forensic psychology (police psychology).

  • Industrial and Organizational Psychology

    398982 Developments and Diversity in psychology 1. Describe specific developments in twentieth century psychology that contributed to the advance of cognitive psychology. 2.

  • Clinical psychology focus on cultural diversity: short essay

    335902 Cultural Diversity in Clinical Psychology Today Why does clinical psychology focus on cultural diversity so much in today's society? What issues might a clinical psychologist encounter that relate to cultural diversity?

View More Related Solutions