967). In the United States, the concentration of ethnic and racial population groups in specific locations within urban areas, the increased incidence of crime within neighborhoods of high ethnic and racial concentration (for whatever reason), and the tendency for police forces to be composed predominantly of individuals drawn from the majority anglo population group, combine to create even greater tensions between police departments and community areas of high ethnic and racial concentration (Tuner, 1968).
The community of concern in this examination is a major city located in a region of the United States which is not known for high levels of racial tension. Nevertheless, relations between the police department and the predominantly black neighborhoods are said to be at the flash-point level (Tizon, 1989). High levels of drug-related and crimes of violence occur in these neighborhoods. On the one hand, the police are criticized for tolerating more of this sort of behavior in minority neighborhoods than they are in predominantly anglo neighborhoods (Tizon, & Hatch, 1989). When police do act in these neighborhoods, on the other hand, they do not receive the plaudits of the community. Rather, they are accused of failing to use discretion in the selection of targets (thereby accosting innocent persons simply on the basis of color or ethnic origin), and of an excessive use of force (Hatch, & Norton, 1989).
A civilian review board is constituted to provide the community with a means of exerting some degree of control over police action. The minority communities with the most tense relations with the police department however, have little confidence in the civilian review board as an effective agent of change (Tizon, 1989).
THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE DEPARTMENT
Most of the theoretical studies devoted to the discovery of ways to reduce crime rates have emphasized one of two general ways to attack the problem. ...