Assignment:
Diversity, Law Enforcement, and Forensic Psychology
The term "diversity" typically refers to differences among populations. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, race and ethnicity. According to the United States Immigration Statistics (Lee & Rytine, 2009), 1,046,539 people were naturalized as U.S. citizens in 2008. The leading groups of foreign-born citizens came from Mexico, India, and the Philippines, pointing to the diversity of race and ethnicity in the United States. In addition to being different in terms of race and ethnicity, these groups also are different in terms of religious and cultural traditions, language, and lifestyle. Awareness of diversity is important for anyone working with diverse populations as some actions and words, due to the recipient's traditions and culture, may be seen as rude and insulting. For example, in Chinese culture, prolonged eye contact is a symbol of disrespect, while eye contact in European culture can be a symbol of respect and attention. Also, the average Westerner stands about two feet from others when engaged in conversation. This distance may shrink in Hispanic cultures and, conversely, increase in Nordic cultures. To make matters even more complicated, diversity is not limited to race, ethnicity, and their related traditions, languages, and lifestyles. Diversity can refer to other characteristics, such as religion, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, physical ability, and age. People can belong to the same race or ethnic group, and still be a member of one or more diverse populations. Police professionals must be aware of diversity and the nature of the groups and sub groups with which they may work. The forensic psychology professional can assist police professionals in these areas by helping them gain a better understanding of diversity, as well as establish methods of working with diverse groups. The result should be improved relationships between police professionals and their communities.
Questions:
1. Select two issues related to working with diverse populations that are challenging for police professionals.
2. Consider how forensic psychology professionals could impact how police professionals interact and work with diverse populations.
a description of two challenging issues that police professionals could encounter when working with diverse populations. Then, analyze why each issue is challenging, and evaluate the impact that forensic psychology professionals could have on the police professional's ability to work with diverse populations. Be specific and provide examples to illustrate your position.