law enforcement contact with asian/pacific americans

Multicultural Law Enforcement: Strategies for Peacekeeping in a Diverse Society, 4e

Shusta, Levine, Wong, Olson, Harris

© 2008 Pearson Education, Inc.

Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458

1

Law Enforcement ContactWith Asian/Pacific Americans

Chapter 5





2

Learning Objectives for Chapter 5

Review the historical background, demographics, and diversity within the Asian/Pacific American community in the United States

Discuss the implications of communication styles, group identification terms, myths and stereotypes, and family structure of Asian/Pacific Americans for law enforcement





3

Learning Objectives for Chapter 5

Describe the impact of the extended family and community, gender roles, generational differences, adolescent and youth issues on law enforcement contact

Highlight key law enforcement concerns and

skills, resources, and practices for addressing some of these concerns





4

Asian/Pacific Americans Overview

For the past four decades, largest proportional increases in any ethnic minority group in the U.S.

76 percent growth for the decade 1990 to 2000

Growth in major urban areas such as New York City, Los Angeles, San Jose, San Francisco, Honolulu, San Diego, Chicago, Houston, and Seattle

Highest citizenship rates among all foreign-born groups (52 percent are naturalized citizens)





5

Asian/Pacific Americans Defined

Contraction of two terms

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Self-designation preferred over “Oriental”

Refers to 40 ethnic or cultural groups or more





6

40 Ethnic and Cultural Groups

Bangladeshi Belauan Bhutanese BruneianCambodian Chamorro Chinese FijianHawaiian Hmong Indian IndonesianJapanese Kiribati Korean LaotianMalaysian Maldivian Marshallese MicronesiaMongolian Myanmarese Nauruan NepaleseNi-Vanuatu Okinawan Pakistani PilipinoSamoan Singaporean Sri Lankan TahitianTaiwanese Tibetan Tongan ThaiTuvaluan Vietnamese Saipan CarolinianSolomon Islander





7

Refugees

Sponsored by the U.S. Government

Largest number from Southeast Asia

Entitled to public support services

Public programs can create dependency





8

Immigrants

Direct sponsorship of individual’s families

Financial support from family or employment

Requirement of self-sufficiency for permanent residence status

Avoidance of public service programs





9

Immigration to the United States

1850s—Chinese to California gold mines and transcontinental railroad

Mostly men and followed by Japanese, Pilipinos, Koreans, and South Asian Indians

Worked as laborers and at other domestic and menial jobs





10

Anti-Asian Federal, State, andLocal Laws

1850s—Americans resentful of Chinese for their strong work ethic and willingness to do laborer’s work

1882—Chinese Exclusion Act banned immigrants for ten years and was extended

1880 to 1920—Chinese population dropped by 40,000





11

Anti-Asian Federal, State, and Local Laws

1907—Gentleman’s Agreement between Japan and the United States

Family members of Japanese in U.S. allowed to enter

Japanese American population increased from 25,000 in 1900 to 127,000 to 1940





12

Anti-Asian Federal, State, andLocal Laws

The Immigration Act of 1917 banned all Asiatic countries except the Philippines

The Immigration Act of 1924 restricted all countries to 2 percent from 1890 “NOP”

The 2 percent restriction did not change until 1965





13

Anti-Asian Federal, State, and Local Laws

The Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934 limited Philipino immigration to 50 a year

1935—Free one-way ticket to the Philippines

1943—The Chinese Exclusion Act was repealed

1965—The McCarran-Walter Act fixed the quota at 20,000 per year with the “fifth preference” category





14

People v. HallCalifornia Supreme Court in 1854

Hall, a white defendant, had been convicted of murdering a Chinese man on the basis of testimony provided by one white and three Chinese witnesses

Court threw out Hall’s murder conviction on the basis that state law prohibited blacks, mulattos, or Indians from testifying in favor of or against whites in court





15

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066 in 1942

Over 100,000 Japanese Americans

Evacuation and incarceration

Called “Internment”

No one was convicted of any crime





16

Demographics ofAsian/Pacific Americans

12.8 million which is 4.5 percent population of U.S.

Largest groups are Chinese, Pilipino, Asian Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Cambodian, Pakistani, Laotian, Hmong, Thai, Taiwanese (others less than a percentage)

Majority are not born in the U.S.





17

Key Motivating Perspectives of Asian/Pacific Americans

Surviving: Immigrant or refugee (– 5 years) Preserving: Immigrant or refugee (5 years +) Adjusting: Second generation Changing: Immigrant (majority of time in

U.S.) Choosing: Third generation or more Maintaining: National (anticipates return to

native country) Expanding: National (global workplace)





18

Labels and Terms

“Oriental” is considered offensive

Asian/Pacific is government designation

Groups prefer specific designation

Use of slurs or racial epithets are unacceptable





19

Myths and Stereotypes

1. All alike due to similarities

2. Successful “model” or “super minority”

3. Viewed as “foreign” terrorists because of their religious affiliation or cultural dress

4. Misunderstanding cultural differences and practices





20

Asian/Pacific American Family

Very strong ties to extended family—three to four generations in same house

Culture shock leads to clannish behavior

(e.g., Chinatowns, Koreatowns, etc.)

Father is the head of the household

Husband and wife both work outside of home





21

Children, Adolescents, and Youths

Children care for each other

Latchkey children are common

Often serve as translators

Direct communication to parent or adult





22

Asian/Pacific American Family Violence

Underestimated and under-reported

Why?

Tjaden and Thoennes (2000)—12.8 percent reported being physically assaulted and 3.8 percent reported rape

Abraham (2000) —Community-Agency survey found over 1,000 South Asian women sought help for abuse and family violence





23

Asian/Pacific American Family Violence

National Asian Women’s Health Organization (2002) found 16 percent of respondents reported pressure to have sex and 27 percent reported emotional abuse

1996 Chicago study of 150 Korean immigrant women—60 percent reported being battered

37 percent being battered once a month





24

Asian/Pacific American Verbal and Nonverbal Styles

Officers must take time to get information from witnesses, victims, and suspects

Strong family and group orientation

Considered “rude” and “loss of face” to say “no” to authority





25

APA Verbal and Nonverbal Styles

High context in communication style—Key context and background important

Eye contact, gestures, and other nuances

May not display emotions as expected





26

Key Issues in Law Enforcement

Underreporting of Crimes

Differential Treatment





27

Positive Collaborations with Law Enforcement

Asian/Pacific American communities gaining

trust with criminal justice system

Community policing in local neighborhoods

by Asian/Pacific American officers

Recruiting aggressively and increasing

Asian/Pacific American peace officers





28

Increasing Police Services and Community Relationships

Getting positive cooperation from the

community

Increasing the number of bilingual/bicultural

peace officers

Building community relationships and networks





29

Crimes Within the Asian/Pacific American Communities

Perpetrated by others within the same group

Human trafficking highlighted as major

problem

Cooperation with worldwide police agencies

in six countries (Cambodia, China, Laos,

Burma, Thailand, and Vietnam)

law enforcement contact with asian/pacific americans

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