NCJ Number
60100
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 46 Issue: 8 Dated: (AUGUST 1979) Pages: 46-49
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
STAGES IN THE EVOLUTION OF A JOB INTO A PROFESSION ARE IDENTIFIED, DISCUSSED, AND APPLIED TO POLICING.
Abstract
THERE ARE DEFINITE TIME/ELEMENT SEQUENCE PATTERNS IN THE PROGRESSION OF ANY JOB INTO A PROFESSION. THE INITIAL STAGES ARE (1) THE TASK-NEED-RECOGNITION STAGE, WHICH BEGINS WITH BROAD RECOGNITION IN A SOCIETY THAT THE FUNCTIONS OF A JOB ARE IMPORTANT TO THE FUNCTIONING OF THE SOCIETY; (2) THE DEFINITION-OF-EXPECTED-BEHAVIOR 1 AND 2 STAGES, PERTAINING TO ESTABLISHING A TRAINING PROGRAM LEADING TO APPRENTICESHIP AND THEN FULL JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AND DEVELOPING A COMMON BODY OF KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME; AND (4) THE PLAN-OF-STUDY STAGE, WHICH INVOLVES JOB INCUMBENTS FORMULATING A PLAN OF STUDY FOR FUTURE JOB ENTRANTS AS WELL AS THOSE ALREADY ON THE JOB. THEN COMES THE RESTRICTION STAGE, OR THE PROCEDURE FOR RESTRICTING JOB PERFORMANCE TO THOSE WHO HAVE SUCCESSFULLY UNDERGONE PRESCRIBED TRAINING, STUDY, AND TESTING; THE CONTROL STAGE, INTENSIVE RESTRICTION OF THOSE ALLOWED TO PERFORM A JOB, USUALLY THROUGH LEGAL REQUIREMENTS OF LICENSING; AND THE CODE OF ETHICS STAGE, BROADENING CONCERNS ABOUT JOB PERFORMANCE BEYOND TECHNICAL PROFICIENCY TO THE MORAL QUALITY OF THE SERVICE. POLICE WORK IN A LARGE NUMBER OF JURISDICTIONS HAS PASSED THROUGH ALL OF THESE STAGES, BUT THE LEVEL OF PROFESSIONALISM, AS MEASURES BY TRAINING, STUDY, TESTING, AND INTENSITY OF ENTRY CONTROL, IS BY NO MEANS UNIFORM ACROSS ALL GOVERNMENTAL JURISDICTIONS EMPLOYING POLICE. THE LEVEL OF COMPENSATION AND STATUS OF POLICE WORK IS NOT LIKELY TO REFLECT THAT OF A PROFESSION UNTIL IT IS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED THAT THE COMPLEXITY OF ALL POLICE DUTIES REQUIRES THE PREPARATION AND QUALITY OF SERVICE DEMANDED OF A PROFESSIONAL. (RCB)