Explain the meaning of cultural context and indicate how it might affect a police officer
What will be an ideal response?
Culture is the way of life shared by members of a society. It includes not only language, values, and symbolic meanings but also technology and material objects. When applied to the United States, this definition would allow for individual and group differences according to region. A context is a framework for understanding meaning. It is an environment or the conditions in which something is said or done. Contexts are very important. Without knowing about them, what people mean by what they say and do would rarely be clearly understood. The author notes that the cultural diversity which we find in the United States is a fact that cannot and should not be ignored. A main theme of this chapter is that the United States is a culturally diverse society and for an officer to be effective in the United States it is necessary to understand the differences in culture among the many different groups of citizens. Understanding and appreciating individuals within a cultural context—within the framework of the way their language and behavior express their feelings and beliefs as part of a cultural group—will provide new opportunities for police and citizens to increase the effectiveness of their interpersonal communication, open avenues for increased mutual respect, and become a realistic base for clarifying common values and areas of mutual concern.
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