Police Work

Why don't people rush to help at an accident? Why do eyewitnesses give different accounts of the same event? Is there such a thing as a 'born criminal'? How can you get people to cooperate with police investigations? Can you tell if someone is lying? How can police officers reduce their own levels of stress? Originally published in 1987, these are just some of the questions that Police Work answers. Using practical, everyday examples from real life, Police Work shows serving and training police officers how a better understanding of why people do the things they do can make their own work more efficient. Without jargon or unnecessary technical language Police Work spells out the practical implications of current thinking on such topics as communication, behaviour in groups, the treatment of crime victims, crisis intervention techniques, countering prejudice and fear of crime.

Peter B. Ainsworth and Ken Pease

1. The Police and Psychology 2. Getting Through to People: Non-Verbal Communication 3. Is Seeing Believing? 4. Remembering and Forgetting 5. To Help or Not to Help 6. People in Groups 7. Places and Crimes 8. Prejudice and Discrimination 9. Family Disputes and Crisis Intervention Techniques 10. Hostage Taking 11. Criminals 12. Stress and the Police Officer 13. Crime Fears, Crime Victims and Community Contacts. Index.