NCJ Number
138714
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 19 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1992) Pages: 314-329
Date Published
1992
Length
16 pages
Annotation
Information from 28 male and 19 female police psychologists was used to examine the relationships among job satisfaction, animosity perceived from the police officers they served, job involvement, time spent in different psychological services, and personal characteristics.
Abstract
The participants were chosen from the most recent Directory of Division 18, Police and Public Safety Section of the American Psychological Association. All worked in- house or as consultants and reported that at least 10 percent of their time was devoted to law enforcement and public safety agency activities. The participants completed telephone interviews. Results revealed that the police psychologists were extremely satisfied with their jobs and perceived little officer animosity, no matter how much of their professional time was devoted to law enforcement work. In addition, police psychologists spent much more of their professional time doing counseling and screening and selection than doing training and organizational development. Finally, the counseling activity was significantly related to two important demographic variables: in-house or consultant status and sex. Counseling was done mostly in-house, and largely by female police psychologists. Tables and 14 references (Author abstract modified)