Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Abstract
According to functional sociological theories of order, print media can play a crucial role in protecting mental security of a given society by picturing an appropriate image of law enforcement forces and their public interactions. However this role is played under and influenced by socio-political circumstances on the society. This study tries to elaborate and then compare what reflected in the press of the performance of police and their interaction with people over five periods of contemporary history. The comparison is made on the basis of the following criteria: police authority, people s demands from police, the types of public demands, representation of police as a government force or as a public force, civil- or military image of police, police interactions reflected in press in each period, including its social interactions, treatment of those asking for police services, government interactions and intra-organizational interactions, the way police actions have been reflected, whether eliminated, critical or analytic, the way police have been criticized in press, constructive or destructive. Findings of this study show that the role of press in reflecting interactions between police and people is largely influenced by socio-political circumstances. During studied periods, political environment of the society had caused the press to picture different images of the authority and public interactions of police.
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