NCJ Number
98411
Date Published
1985
Length
197 pages
Annotation
An analysis of police officer job stress focuses on the stressors and their effect on job performance, physical and mental health, and personal life of the officer.
Abstract
Not withstanding that police officers face potentially unknown and threatening physical hazards, the author suggests that police job stress is primarily psychological. Stressors are identified by categories. Police administrative stressors relate to policy -- red tape, for example -- and support -- lack of backing and poor supervision. Inadequate resources would also be included in the administrative category. Specific job-related problems can arise from shift work, alternating periods of inactivity and very heavy work loads, the need for moonlighting as an economic supplement, and job conflict when the individual is faced with discordant expectations by demands imposed by others or a conflict in values. Unique to the profession are judicial restraints, frustrations with the judicial system, and the current highly negative public image of police officers. The particular problems of special police populations such as correctional officers, administrators, female officers, and minority officers are also discussed. Stress reduction and coping techniques focus on stressor elimination, behavior modification, and counseling or informal social assistance. Tabular data and 63 references are included.