NCJ Number
43645
Date Published
1975
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THIRTY-THREE ALLEGED OR IMPLIED SOURCES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS IN POLICE WORK ARE IDENTIFIED, DISCUSSED, AND CATEGORIZED.
Abstract
TAKEN TOGETHER, THE IDENTIFIED STRESSORS APPEAR TO SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A HIGH-STRESS OCCUPATION. THE SIX MAJOR CATEGORIES OF STRESS AND THE STRESSORS WITHIN THE CATEGORIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) INTRAORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES AND CHARACTERISTICS (POOR SUPERVISION, LACK OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, INADEQUATE REWARD/REINFORCEMENT SYSTEM, OFFENSIVE POLICY, EXCESSIVE PAPERWORK, POOR EQUIPMENT); (2) INTERORGANIZATIONAL PRACTICES AND CHARACTERISTICS (LACK OF CAREER DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, JURISDICTIONAL ISOLATIION); (3) CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PRACTICES AND CHARACTERISTICS (INEFFECTIVENESS OF CORRECTIONS SUBSYSTEM, UNFAVORABLE COURT DECISIONS, MISUNDERSTOOD JUDICIAL PROCEDURES, INEFFICIENT COURTROOM MANAGEMENT, PREOCCUPATION WITH STREET CRIME); (4) PUBLIC PRACTICES AND CHARACTERISTICS (DISTORTED PRESS ACCOUNTS OF POLICE INCIDENTS, UNFAVORABLE MINORITY ATTITUDES, UNFAVORABLE MAJORITY ATTITUDES, DEROGATORY REMARKS BY NEIGHBORS, ADVERSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT DECISIONS, INEFFECTIVENESS OF REFERRAL AGENCIES); (5) POLICE WORK ITSELF (ROLE CONFLICT, ADVERSE WORK SCHEDULING, FEAR AND DANGER, SENSE OF USELESSNESS, ABSENCE OF FOLLOWUP, EXPOSURE TO SUFFERING, THE 'UP'S AND DOWN'S' OF THE POLICE OFFICER'S SCHEDULE, CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIONS, THE CUMULATIVE EFFECTS OF STRESS OVER A LONG CAREER); AND (6) THE POLICE OFFICER'S CHARACTERISTICS (IMCOMPETENCE, FEAR, NONCONFORMITY, THE ETHNIC MINORITY OFFICER, THE FEMALE OFFICER).