NCJ Number
186120
Date Published
1999
Length
9 pages
Annotation
The objective of New York State's Psychological Screening Program for Correction Officer Applicants is to identify individuals displaying psychopathology or other psychological limitations that could significantly impair job performance and effectiveness.
Abstract
Under the program, individuals who have been determined by a licensed psychologist as suffering from psychotic disorders, serious character disorders, or other disorders that could hinder job performance may be deemed ineligible for appointment as correction officers. To complete the psychological screening procedure, correction officer candidates are given a psychological test battery consisting of the California Psychological Inventory, the Personality Assessment Inventory, the State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory, and the Personal History Questionnaire-LEPS/Roberts. Correction officer candidates then participate in face-to-face structured clinical interviews with a contract psychologist and are evaluated on 15 different rating dimensions that reflect overall psychological functioning and adjustment. These areas include judgment, problem-solving, learning, written and oral communications, interpersonal behavior, teamwork, acceptance of criticism, adaptability, dependability, initiative, emotional self-control, assertiveness, and integrity. A six-point rating scale is used to assess candidates: well-suited, suitable, marginally-suitable, poorly-suited, and not psychologically suited. The first three categories each constitute a "recommend" for hire. 1 table