NCJ Number
150198
Date Published
1992
Length
101 pages
Annotation
This statistical analysis surveyed the opinions of 1,167 French police cadets in the first week of their training.
Abstract
The questionnaire consisting of 110 multiple-choice questions explored the cadets' social background; professional preferences and expectations; attitudes toward the police, laws, and public order; and training expectations. In its social composition, the entering class of 1992 much resembled previous classes: 20 percent females, 460 former auxiliary police officers, and 138 students whose parents were police members. In professional commitment, 553 cadets characterized themselves as extremely motivated while only 207 showed weak motivation. While documenting the differences among the recruits, the results also included four striking similarities. First, numerous cadets had had previous personal contacts with police officers before their recruitment. Second, the recruits were highly optimistic concerning their career and professional advancement. Third, the recruits valued the variety of professional experiences they would have and had high expectations concerning the training they would receive. Last, the recruits perceived their police duties in a broader social context than simply crime fighting. It is concluded that the cadets' responses reflect pre-existing personal opinions more than previous experiences with policing. The questionnaire and the statistical results are appended.