NCJ Number
178730
Editor(s)
Leonard Territo,
James D. Sewell
Date Published
1999
Length
416 pages
Annotation
These 35 papers examine stress factors and their consequences for police personnel, as well as methods of coping with stress, psychological services for police personnel, and management issues relating to dealing with police stress.
Abstract
The book is intended for use by academicians, police administrators and police officers. The readings in the first section introduce the concepts and terminology related to stress and summarize some of its main psychological, physiological, and social consequences. Papers on police officer stress examine coping behaviors police officers use to deal with stress, events police officers regard as most stressful, health problems associated with police work, and police cynicism. The third section focuses on police suicide, with emphasis on its causes and prevention. The fourth section examines the impacts of police stress on spouses, children, and other relatives of police personnel. The fifth section focuses on features of police work that often expose officers to crisis or disaster situations in which people are violently killed or injured; it also examines vicarious traumatization and post-traumatic stress. Readings in the sixth section concern ways in which some police agencies deal with police deaths and the means by which they assist family member in coping with the death. The seventh section examines the extent and nature of psychological services in police agencies, techniques and external programs determined to be useful, alcoholism treatment, and confidentiality. The final section presents papers on management issues, including the role of the psychologist in assisting police officers in controlling the use of force, ways in which police agencies can reduce stress, and difficulties experienced by police officers who retiring. Tables, figures, and chapter reference lists