PSYCHOLOGY AND POLICING IN A CHANGING WORLD

By Peter B. Ainsworth. Wiley, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 1UD. 1995,280 pp.Hardback, £24.95, ISBN 0-471-94225-1. Paperback, £15.95, ISBN 0-471-95607-4.

This book reviews a large body of work where psychology has affected or couldhave an impact on policing. Psychology as a discipline has a great deal to offerthe police service which seems now to be under closer scrutiny by the publicand other organisations. The book is well timed, given increasing constraintsbeing placed upon the police and their need to incorporate new ideas fromoutside the service on policing methods and practice.

Peter Ainsworth argues that psychologists are interested in policing andoffers considerable evidence in support of this claim. Work has already beenundertaken by psychologists which is of practical application to the police.The book also illustrates how the police service can benefit by picking up onthis work. It is hoped that, through books like this, police interest in the possi-ble application of psychology will increase.

The book is divided into three sections: The Police and the Public; ThePolice as an Organisation; The Police and Society. Within each section exam-ples are given of the impact and influence which psychology can have, or hashad, on policing. Important issues, such as police interviews, confessions andinvestigations, are covered in detail, drawing on psychological findings. Thebook cites many initiatives which have been successfully implemented, suchas cognitive interviews and conversation management. The chapter dealingwith specific individuals provides a ‘dangerousness checklist’ which will beuseful to many front-line officers and their supervisors.

The author has produced excellent literature summaries on some topicswhich are clearly written, and in such a way to appeal to the non-psycholo-gist. The level of detail may not be sufficient to satisfy those working in polic-ing at an academic level but the summaries are useful for the layperson. Thechapter on ‘violence and reaction’ summarises the literature so well that itwould be an ideal introductory text for psychology students.

At times it may seem that current police practices and by implication,therefore, the police, are portrayed in a less than favourable light in the book.Yet the portrayal is often accurate and realistic. This is certainly the casewhere recruitment and training are discussed, which makes interesting readingfor all police managers and personnel staff.

Other subjects in the book are also very relevant to the police service. Forexample, Peter Ainsworth covers offender profiling and repeat victimisation.These sections are however, quite brief. The double-edged sword relationship

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of the police and the media is accurately described, in particular the balanceof demands between the use of the media in the investigation of crime andthe public fear of crime. Relationships between the police, public and otherorganisations and individuals are discussed, some adding more to the debateconcerning these relationships than others. Sadly, the section dealing withrelationships between social workers and the police is unlikely to add to anunderstanding of the difficulties of working together.

There is no doubt that the book will be of interest to psychologists, the policeservice and agencies which work alongside the police. It may also be useful toundergraduates and postgraduates attending psychology or criminology courses.

Kristina AllenLondon, UK

CONDUCT DISORDERS IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE

By Alan E. Kazdin (2nd edn). Sage Publications, London EC2A 4PU. July1995, 200 pp. Hardback, £30.50, ISBN 0-8039-7180-X. Paperback, £13.95,ISBN 0-8039-7181-8.

Children with a diagnosis of conduct disorder show persistently antisocialbehaviour. For younger children conduct disorder can be in the form of tem-per tantrums while in the older groups it may take forms such as stealing,fighting or damaging property. Such children represent a large proportion ofchildren referred for mental health evaluations. The disorder is rather stableand predicts both mental health problems and criminal behaviour in adult-hood. Kazdin presents a concise and clear review of the literature on the diag-nostic criteria, the onset of the disorder and its course and prognosis. Thebook is noticeably North American in orientation and there is more workboth from Europe and the Antipodes that might have been considered. Thereis one chapter devoted to a consideration of treatment methods, whichdemonstrates how few have been subject to scientific evaluation. The chap-ters on assessment and treatment should be required reading for all cliniciansin the child and adolescent mental health field. The chapter on preventioncould usefully be read by every politician who advocates ever stricter punish-ment regimes for young people.

Kazdin’s approach is thoroughly practical and throughout he is careful toindicate gaps in the research evidence. Indeed there are enough suggestions forfurther research to use up any and all Research Council allocations for the socialsciences until well into the next century! In particular, though, Kazdin returnson several occasions to considering the value of the term ‘conduct disorder’,when there are so many behaviours that may be considered under that heading.

The one criticism that I would level is that this book fails to consider psy-chological theories. The level of analysis is so incisive that it would have been

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