NCJ Number
61061
Date Published
1979
Length
154 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY INVESTIGATES WHETHER 4-YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE PROGRAMS IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PREPARE POLICE OFFICERS BETTER THAN NON-CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAMS.
Abstract
THE RESEARCH EXAMINES THE PERFORMANCE AND EDUCATION OF 180 OFFICERS IN 2 AGENCIES, RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM A GROUP OF 360 SAMPLE SUBJECTS. THERE WERE 60 OFFICERS IN EACH OF 3 EDUCATIONAL GROUPS. GROUP ONE CONSISTED OF POLICE OFFICERS WITH A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION ONLY; GROUP TWO CONSISTED OF OFFICERS WITH A 4-YEAR DEGREE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE; GROUP THREE WAS COMPOSED OF OFFICERS WITH A 4-YEAR DEGREE IN A NON-CRIMINAL JUSTICE FIELD. OFFICERS IN EACH GROUP WERE COMPARED AS TO PERFORMANCE LEVEL DIFFERENCES. PERFORMANCE WAS MEASURED ACCORDING TO NUMBER OF COMMENDATIONS AND AWARDS, NUMBER OF DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS, NUMBER OF INJURY AND SICK DAYS, AND THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE. IT WAS ALSO EVALUATED THROUGH SUPERVISOR RATINGS, USING THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION FORM OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE. FINDINGS SHOWED THAT PATROL OFFICERS WITH A 4-YEAR COLLEGE DEGREE PERFORM AT A HIGHER LEVEL THAN PATROL OFFICERS WITH A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA ONLY. NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES WERE FOUND BETWEEN THE SERVICE RECORDS OF OFFICERS WITH NON-CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREES AND OFFICERS WITH CRIMINAL JUSTICE DEGREES. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT FUTURE RESEARCH FOCUS ON ESTABLISHING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A COLLEGE EDUCATION AND SUPERIOR PERFORMANCE. APPENDIXES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY, FOOTNOTES, AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED IN THE STUDY. (LWM)