HOUSTON (TX) - A VALIDITY STUDY OF POLICE OFFICER SELECTION, TRAINING AND PROMOTION, V 7 - VALIDATION OF THE PERSONAL BACKGROUND REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SELECTION OF POLICE OFFICERS

• NCJ Number: 51911
• Author(s): J A DUBIN; P R JEANNERET
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 358 pages
• Grant Number(s): AC-75-B-0331-57
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Lifson, Wilson, Ferguson and Winick, Inc
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTIC VARIABLES EVALUATED DURING APPLICANT INVESTIGATIONS FOR THE HOUSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT (TEXAS) ARE ANALYZED FOR JOB-RELATEDNESS AND CONSTRUCT CRITERION-RELATED VALIDITY.

Abstract

THE STUDY DETERMINES THE VALIDITY OF SUCH EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS AS APPLICANT'S AGE, EMPLOYMENT HISTORY, DRIVING AND MILITARY RECORDS, FINANCIAL HISTORY, MARITAL STABILITY, CRIMINAL RECORD, SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES, DRINKING HABITS, DRUG USAGE, IMMORAL AND ILLEGAL BEHAVIORS, AND EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENTS. THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONSISTED OF IDENTIFYING JOB-RELATED BEHAVIORAL DIMENSIONS, SELECTING PERSONALITY TEST SCALES WHICH MEASURE JOB DIMENSIONS, COLLECTING BOTH TEST AND BACKGROUND DATA ON APPLICANT SAMPLES, AND IDENTIFYING JOB PERFORMANCE CONSTRUCTS AS CRITERIA FOR THE CRITERION VALIDITY STUDY WITH BACKGROUND HISTORY ITEMS AS PREDICTORS. THREE CRITICAL BEHAVIORAL JOB DIMENSIONS WERE SELECTED: (1) RESPONSIBILITY, (2) SOCIALIZATION, AND (3) EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENTS. APPLICANT PERSONAL HISTORY DATA WERE CORRELATED WITH JOB-RELATED TEST CONSTRUCTS USING REGRESSION, MULTIPLE CORRELATION, AND UTILITY-ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES. OVERALL, FINDINGS INDICATE THAT AN APPLICANT'S PERSONAL HISTORY DATA CAN MAKE AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE SELECTION OF POLICE OFFICERS. FINDINGS SUPPORT THE CONTINUED USE IN THE SELECTION PROCESS OF THE FOLLOWING BACKGROUND HISTORY TOPICS: CRIMINAL RECORDS, MILITARY HISTORY, EDUCATIONAL HISTORY, EMPLOYMENT HISTORY AND REFERENCES, FINANCIAL AND CREDIT BEHAVIORS, DRINKING HABITS, DRUG USAGE, ADMITTED CRIMINAL BEHAVIORS, FAMILY INSTABILITY, ADMITTED 'IMMORAL' BEHAVIORS, DRIVING HISTORY, RADICAL GROUP BEHAVIORS, AND PERSONAL REFERENCES AND PERSONAL DOUBTS ABOUT ENTERING LAW ENFORCEMENT. MOREOVER, A LIST OF ESTABLISHED AND VALIDATED BACKGROUND ITEMS AS MINIMUM ENTRANCE STANDARDS IS INCLUDED (I.E., MINIMUM AGE AND EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS, DRINKING HABITS AND DRUG USAGE, MARITAL HISTORY AND IMMORAL BEHAVIORS, DRIVING BEHAVIOR, ETC.). BACKGROUND ITEMS WHICH FAILED TO ATTAIN STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT VALIDITY COEFFICIENTS ARE ALSO IDENTIFIED. THE FINAL CHAPTER PRESENTS A SPECIAL READABILITY ANALYSIS OF THE DEPARTMENT'S ACADEMY AND PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS. SUPPORTING MATERIAL IS APPENDED.