NCJ Number
11914
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1973) Pages: 484-490
Date Published
1973
Length
7 pages
Annotation
SOCIOLOGICAL DISCUSSION OF PROFESSIONALISM AND OCCUPATIONAL DANGER-STRESS, TWO FACTORS WHICH ARE ADVANCED AS CAUSES OF APATHY, ANXIETY, AND FRUSTRATION.
Abstract
BASED ON THE THESIS OF SOCIOLOGIST A. NIEDERHOFFER, THE AUTHOR DISCUSSES THE ILLS AFFLICTING MODERN POLICEMEN IN TERMS OF PROFESSIONALISM, ANOMIE, AND CYNICISM. NIEDERHOFFER ARGUES THAT GIVEN THE PRESSURE FOR PROFESSIONALISM BY MIDDLE-CLASS PROFESSIONAL ADMINISTRATORS ON WORKING-CLASS PATROLMEN, A CONDITION OF ANOMIE IS CREATED IN WHICH THE PATROLMEN REACT WITH REBELLION AND ADOPT A PHILOSOPHY OF CYNICISM. SUPPORTING RESEARCH IS PRESENTED. AN ALTERNATE HYPOTHESIS PROPOSED IS THAT ANOMIE HAS ITS BASE IN THE PRIMARY INSTINCTS OF SELF-PRESERVATION AND FEAR. THE STRESS PLACED ON THE POLICE BY THE NATURE OF THEIR EMPLOYMENT AND ITS CONCEPTUALIZATION BY THE POLICE, LABELED DANGER-STRESS, IS ESTABLISHED AS THE PRIME FORCE OF ANOMIE. ADDITIONAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY IS PRESENTED, AND FURTHER DISCUSSION IS DIRECTED TOWARDS THE CONCEPTS OF DANGER-STRESS AND ANOMIE AS THEY PERTAIN TO SUICIDE. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT THE POLICE OFFICER IS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE DISRUPTIVE EFFECTS OF PROFESSIONALISM AND DANGER-STRESS. BRIEF SUGGESTIONS FOR TRAINING PROGRAMS IN THIS LATTER AREA ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)