NCJ Number
178340
Date Published
1997
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Three classes of police recruits in the Minimum Standard Basic Law Enforcement Training Course at the Police Training Institute in Campaign, Ill., were studied to determine the impacts of different kinds of training on their knowledge and responses to sexual assault.
Abstract
The 56 members of the baseline group received the standard training protocol currently administered at the police academy. The 56 members of the experimental group received an intensive 4-hour workshop focusing on sexual assault response. In addition, the 49 members of a second experimental group received the same 4 hours of training, but it was integrated across the general police training curriculum. Results of standard quantitative analysis revealed no post-training differences in sexual assault knowledge, rape myth acceptance, or judgements in a simulated sexual assault interview. However, the victim role players reported that police recruits in the integrated training situation outperformed the others with respect to interviewing content and style. In addition, thematic coding indicated that the police officers in the workshop situation were significantly more likely than others to address the victim's physical and emotional welfare, emphasize the suspect's responsibility, and explain the information and options for police investigations. Findings indicated that specialized training is needed to prepare police officers for competent responses to sexual assault. In addition, a workshop format appears to be more effective than other approaches for police recruits whose conceptualization of sexual assault is not yet integrated into a larger understanding of law enforcement. Notes, appended tables and list of other publications from the American Bar Foundation, and 64 references (Author abstract modified)