POLICE SELECTION METHODS AND THE PREDICTION OF POLICE PERFORMANCE

• NCJ Number: 52853
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 347-393
• Author(s): J M POLAND
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 20 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Sale Source: Institute for Scientific Information
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THIS REVIEW OF DESCRIPTIVE AND VALIDITY STUDIES THAT HAVE ATTEMPTED TO ASCERTAIN DESIRABLE POLICE BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS CONSIDERS THE RESEARCH QUALITY OF THESE STUDIES AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THEIR RESULTS.

Abstract

DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES HAD DEALT WITH THE INTELLIGENCE, VOCATIONAL INTEREST, PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS, AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION OF POLICE OFFICERS AND HAVE INDICATED THAT POLICE APPLICANTS ARE USUALLY OF AVERAGE INTELLIGENCE AND HAVE INTEREST PATTERNS SIMILAR TO PEOPLE INTERESTED IN SOCIAL SERVICE WORK AND PERSONALITY TRAITS SIMILAR TO WHITE COLLAR OR OFFICE WORKERS. MOST APPLICANTS ARE 25 AND HAVE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL, OFTEN WITH SOME COLLEGE EDUCATION. DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES HAVE LIMITED VALUE BECAUSE THEY DEAL WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF VARIABLES, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DERIVE SPECIFIC JOB-RELEVANT CHARACTERISTICS, AND THEY DO NOT DETERMINE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE STUDIED CHARACTERISTICS AND JOB PERFORMANCE. VALIDITY STUDIES, HOWEVER, EXAMINE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PREDICTORS OF JOB PERFORMANCE (E.G., AGE, ACADEMY SCORES, AND SUPERVISORY RATINGS) AND JOB-PERFORMANCE MEASURES (SUPERVISORY RATINGS, COMMENDATIONS, AND ABSENTEEISM). STUDY INSTRUMENTS ARE USUALLY MENTAL AND PERSONALITY TESTS AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SURVEYS. THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE USE OF MENTAL TEST SCORES AS PREDICTORS WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE CHICAGO (ILL.) POLICE DEPARTMENT IN 1968 AND CONCLUDED THAT SCORES WERE RELATED TO CRITERIA SUCH AS TENURE, ARRESTS, AND ABSENTEEISM. THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE BACKGROUND CHARACTERISTICS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED IN 1972 BY BERNARD COHEN AND JAN CHAIKEN USING A SAMPLE OF 1957 NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT RECRUITS. THIS STUDY CONCLUDED THAT EARLY JOB PERFORMANCE, MEASURED BY RECRUITS' TRAINING, PROBATIONARY RATINGS, PREVIOUS BEHAVIOR, AND WORK EXPERIENCE, DOES RELATE TO LATER JOB PERFORMANCE. HOWEVER, THE STUDY SAMPLE IS NOT REPRESENTATIVE, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FACTORS ARE NOT ACCOUNTED FOR, AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA (E.G., SUPERVISORY RATINGS) ARE QUESTIONABLE. GOOD MEASURES OF JOB PERFORMANCE AND RATING SCALES FOR BEHAVIOR NEED TO BE DEVELOPED FOR FUTURE RESEARCH. A SUMMARY OF THE REVIEWED STUDIES IS APPENDED. (DAG)