U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Socio-environmental Influences on the Police Culture of the London Metropolitan Police Force Between the 1930s and 1960s
NCJ Number
              221202
Journal

*Journal of Criminal Justice and Security* Volume: 8 Issue: 3,4 Dated: December 2006 Pages: 191-202
Author(s)
          Tom Cockcroft
Date Published

December 2006
Length
              12 pages
Annotation
              This paper reviews the socio-environmental influences on the police culture of the London Metropolitan Police Force between the 1930s and 1960s as a basis for arguing that the traditional view of police culture (i.e., police behavior and values are determined by the "universal" nature of police work) leads to narrow and biased frames of reference that fail to capture the complexities and variations in police culture.
Abstract
              This review of a segment of the history of the London Metropolitan Police shows substantial variations in police behavior in different policing locations within the force. Based on these data, the paper suggests that substantial variations in police behavior and values (culture) may be attributable to the features of the geographical locations in which policing is done, rather than to a fixed culture that is stable and perpetuated across geographic jurisdictions. Over half of the officers interviewed for this study (n=26) claimed that the geographical location of the station was an important factor in determining the behaviors and attitudes of the police officers. This is not to imply, however, that the police managers and front-line officers in a given geographic jurisdiction have little influence on the values and styles of policing that characterize the police culture of a given jurisdiction. The police culture of a particular station is forged through an interaction of the distinctive features of the jurisdiction and the ways in which the police force adapts its values and policing style to the jurisdictional environment. The data for this analysis were obtained from 26 retired police officers from the London Metropolitan Police Service who had been in active service between the 1930s and the 1960s. Nine had served as criminal investigators, and 17 had worked as uniformed officers. 29 notes, 47 references, and appended details on the interviewees' station
      
  
          Additional Details
Agencies
        NIJ


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Report (Study/Research)
                                Historical Overview
    
  
  
Date Published: December 1, 2006
    
          Downloads
        
                      PDF

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Foreign criminal justice research
        Foreign police
        Police research
        Police subculture
        Data analysis



  
Similar Publications
        
                      "Victim is Not Credible" The Influence of Rape Culture on Police Perceptions of Sexual Assault Complainants
                  Why Police "Couldn't or Wouldn't" Submit Sexual Assault Kits for Forensic DNA Testing: A Focal Concerns Theory Analysis of Untested Rape Kits
                  Spatial Impacts of a Multi-Individual Grave on Microbial and Microfaunal Communities and Soil Biogeochemistry
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov