NCJ Number
156901
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 23 Issue: 4 Dated: (1995) Pages: 325-336
Date Published
1995
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examined the attitudes, backgrounds, training, and responsibilities of a group of civilian and a group of sworn criminal justice public information officers (PIOs) in Florida.
Abstract
The results showed that sworn PIOs tend to be males educated in criminal justice, with little or no media-related experience prior to their current appointment. Civilian PIOs, on the other hand, were more often females with an educational background in communications and prior media-related experience. Both groups agreed for the most part on their duties and the skills needed to perform their tasks. The most striking difference was the higher job satisfaction, despite lower pay, of civilian PIOs, compared to their sworn counterparts. This difference was significantly associated with the PIOs' perception of a positive relationship with the media, the impact the PIOs feel they have within the agency, and their level of education. The crucial issue to be examined in future research is whether civilian and sworn PIOs select different crimes or package the same crime differently for news dissemination and public consumption. 6 tables, 22 notes, and 28 references