did not play a significant role in his decision making. Looking at the situation in terms of what has been presented, it would make sense to say the boy became frustrated because he was cut off from what he wanted, thereby becoming frustrated, which resulted in aggressive behavior. 3). Some variables that effect the relationship between police officers and the community are 1) secondhand accounts from neighbors, family members or friends; 2) media; 3) one’s own clouded perception/lack of knowledge that can lead to criticism and quick judgments of officers. Often times, juveniles (and other adults) hear adults telling stories about situations they were in where a police officer was involved. If the person telling the story was cited for a traffic violation or some other minor infraction, most likely their story will be bias and contain negative overtones. Unfortunately, these overtones are picked up by the listener, and without ever having a run in with the law, can develop a negative and cynical attitude toward police. Children, who are especially vulnerable to authority, may develop unhealthy attitudes toward police officers without even coming into contact with them in this manner. Also, one who witnesses first hand an event which involves the police can misconstrue the situation based on his/her perception of the event, as well as not having all/some of the details correct. This may result in a wary, cynical attitude toward police officers in reference to how they handle/react to situations by others who hear about the event second hand. Television shows such as “Cops” and “Real Stories of the Highway Patrol” as well as detective and cop movies can set up a framework for public perception of the criminal justice system. The way police are portrayed in the movies most of the time is as the rough, macho, bully type, who throw a few punches at a detained citizen while yelling in thei...
