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Individual Differences In Police Officers’ Decision Styles In Order Maintenance Policing, Damarrah Elisheba Jameson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Day-to-day police work tends to be in order maintenance policing. These encounters necessitate officer discretion in decision responses to manage them. These decision responses reflect an officer’s decision style which precedes the encounter and drives subsequent decision making to manage them. However, little is known about officer-level decision style. For example, whether an officer has a rational, intuitive, dependent, avoidant, or spontaneous decision style (Scott& Bruce, 1995). Police training in any format often lacks attention to decision styles. As such, an officer’s decision style is most likely associated with demographics (e.g., age, gender) and occupational self-efficacy – a reflection of …

Alternative Approaches To Police Interventions When Responding To Mental Health Crises Incidents, Karen Rivera Apolinar

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Purpose: This study explored mental health workers perspectives on alternative approaches in responding to mental health crises.

The study was carried out in Southern California, in collaboration with mental health workers who currently work or previously have worked in mental health crisis. It adopted a post-positivists paradigm and data was gathered through individual interviews with mental health workers who have direct experience with mental health crisis response in the community and with the police. The twenty participants in the study were men and women working in the mental health field, and of various backgrounds, licensures, and ages.

The study found …

Police Harassment And Latinx Mental Health: The Moderating Role Of Family Support And Nativity, Veronica Lauren Heredia

Master's Theses (2009 -)

Relative to their population size, communities of color experience disproportionate occurrences of harassment (Wilson et. al., 2020). Reports on police killings from 2013 to 2018 display that Black individuals constituted 27.5% of those killed, despite making up only 13% of the population (Siegel, 2020). The U.S. Latinx population is similarly impacted, given reports that they also experience police targeting (Edwards et. al., 2019; Gaston et. al., 2021; Harris et. al., 2020; Zimmerman et. al., 2021). Empirical evidence has shown a positive association between police harassment exposure and depressive and posttraumatic stress symptoms in Latinx populations (Chin et. al., 2020; Del …

Shared Responsibility: Conceptualising How A Public Health Approach May Enhance Police Response To Missing Persons, Katie Gambier-Ross, Joe Apps Dr, Sarah Wayland Dr

International Journal of Missing Persons

When a person is reported missing there are substantial costs for the individual, their family and society. This paper conceptualises the experience of missing persons episodes, through a public health approach. This then allows police, stakeholders and the community to engage in discussions about who is vulnerable to going missing by intervening in a way that addresses risk. Historically, a missing persons episode involves an absence, typically followed by police involvement in consultation with next of kin with establishing the whereabouts of the missing person being the primary focus. Yet, the risk factors of going missing relate more to the …

Exploring Dual Roles In Law Enforcement Officers Who Administer Naloxone, Regina Sullivan Wachenheim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the introduction of law enforcement-administered naloxone, officers are assuming the dual role of law enforcer and caregiver with opioid users. This study used cognitive role theory and Thorne’s interpretive approach to explore the dual roles experienced by officers. The purpose of this study was to understand (1) how officers who administer naloxone describe their experience of the dual role, and (2) how the officers describe the role expectations of law enforcer and caregiver. Seven officers completed semi-structured, one-on-one, telephone interviews. The eight themes that emerged were related to the officers’ views of (1) saving and changing opioid users’ lives; …

Exploring Dual Roles In Law Enforcement Officers Who Administer Naloxone, Regina Sullivan Wachenheim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With the introduction of law enforcement-administered naloxone, officers are assuming the dual role of law enforcer and caregiver with opioid users. This study used cognitive role theory and Thorne’s interpretive approach to explore the dual roles experienced by officers. The purpose of this study was to understand (1) how officers who administer naloxone describe their experience of the dual role, and (2) how the officers describe the role expectations of law enforcer and caregiver. Seven officers completed semi-structured, one-on-one, telephone interviews. The eight themes that emerged were related to the officers’ views of (1) saving and changing opioid users’ lives; …

Training On Law Enforcement's Response To Interpersonal Violence, Genna Hilt

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

The current study examines how police officers in various settings perceive interpersonal violence response training as well as how they respond to vignettes detailing hypothetical scenarios of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. A common criticism of experience with police following a traumatic occurrence of sexual or interpersonal violence is inappropriate attitude and conduct on behalf of law enforcement agents. Trauma and victim centered training may improve police responding within this field; however, the training received is variable (Campbell et al., 2019; Kinney et al., 2007). In this study, ten participants answered interview or survey items detailing the extent of …

Prior Parental Incarceration And The Impact Towards Attitudes About Law Enforcement As Adults, Jennifer Spencer

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The number of incarcerations has been climbing drastically, especially in the United States. A forgotten minority which remains understudied is those children of incarcerated individuals. Many studies have found parental separation to be associated with problematic behavior in children. However, little to no information is known on the attitudes of offspring of incarcerated people toward law enforcement and the police. The current study examined just this, researching children of incarcerated parents’ attitudes towards legitimacy and confidence in the police during adulthood. Participants (N = 55) were undergraduate students at a small university who gained extra credit for voluntary participation. …

Policing For Peace: Training For A 21st Century Police Force, Kate M. Den Houter, Margaret E. Brooks

Personnel Assessment and Decisions

We review the present state of research on police training in the United States, highlighting gaps in the literature, and limitations of trainings in use by local policing agencies. We focus on training content relevant to the volatile situations that are at the center of controversy, we evaluate content areas that focus on successfully navigating real-time, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous interactions, and discuss training needs in these areas. We suggest that one common response to the issue of bias—implicit bias training—lacks evidence of efficacy. Accordingly, we recommend alternative training content to address bias and discrimination. Finally, we call attention to …

Introduction To The Special Issue On Policing: Examining The Role Of Testing And Assessment, Dennis Doverspike, Alexandra Petruzzelli, Marc Cubrich

Personnel Assessment and Decisions

Prepared in response to the weight and seriousness of social concerns with regard to the state and future of policing, this special issue was developed in order to feature research that examined a wide range of personnel and assessment decisions relating to policing. The focus was broad in scope, welcoming conceptual/theoretical papers, quantitative or qualitative reviews, empirical papers, and think pieces. To address the questions and areas identified in the initial call for papers, six articles are presented covering the themes of individual differences in personnel selection group composition and macro-level influences on policing, and practical recommendations and the future …

The Paradox Of Salvation: Police-Perpetrated Sexual Violence Against Sex Workers In The United States, Aydan Murphy-Stanley

Student Theses

This study explores how sex workers in the United States are sexually victimized and potentially traumatized by sexual violence perpetrated by police officers, as well as the paradoxical implications of this violence. A qualitative meta-synthesis was conducted to examine and integrate qualitative literature pertaining to this phenomenon. 10 databases were used to execute the systematic literature search. Only studies that utilized qualitative methodologies, are published in peer-reviewed academic journals, and examined police-sex worker interactions were included. Data from relevant studies was analyzed according to the meta-synthesis method. Police-perpetrated sexual violence against sex workers was identified as a form of sexual …

Encounters Between The Elderly And Law Enforcement

Contemporary Southern Psychology

The elderly population is growing dramatically throughout the world. Out of this growth comes an increase in the number of encounters between the aged and law enforcement. These encounters occur because of a variety of factors including mental illnesses and addictions. Furthermore, older adults may be victims as evidenced in different forms of abuse such as physical, emotional, or financial abuse. Sadly, some documentation exists that older adults are committing more crimes. Multiple reasons have been postulated for these crimes including poverty, jealousy, and boredom. All of these different situations with the aged have created an increase in the number …

Job Satisfaction, Personality Traits, Resilience, And Education Level Among Rural Police Officers, Chellie Newman-Noon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police agencies struggle with police officer attrition, resulting in agencies needing to hire new officers. This process is costly and results in unwise decision-making by police officers due to inexperience, excessive use of force, and ultimate distrust of police by civilians. Job satisfaction can diminish attrition and excessive use of force and increases both prudent decision-making and civilian trust. The characteristics of personality traits, education level, and resilience contributing to job satisfaction were addressed in the current study using a nonexperimental predictive correlational design. An online assessment of the Big Five traits, resilience, and job satisfaction, in addition to a …

The Experiences Of Female Survivors Of Sexual Assault When They Make A Police Report, Tracy L. Rainey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nearly 20% of all women will be the victim of an attempted or completed sexual assault within the United States, yet less than one quarter of victims will report their experienced crime to law enforcement (LE). Many survivors of sexual violence experience apprehension about reporting sexual assault, due to fear of social consequences, relational consequences, and fear of the reprisal from LE officers. The purpose of this interpretive descriptive qualitative study was to describe and interpret the experiences of adult, female sexual assault survivors when they make a LE report about their victimization. Resilience theory, which is the study of …

Compassion And Empathy: Comparing Police Officers With And Without Military Experience, Harlyn Alexander Montealegre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interpersonal characteristics, including compassion and empathy, are an essential part of the relationship that police officers have with local communities. Historically, recruitment departments of law enforcement agencies have favored military veterans as candidates because of the similarities between the two professions, such as weapon handling and organizational structure. However, it is possible that prior military experience may negatively impact characteristics of compassion and empathy, given that military personnel are often exposed to conditions (e.g., combat) that can degrade compassion and empathy. The purpose of this study was to compare levels of compassion and empathy between police officers with and without …

Do Law Enforcement Officers’ Attitudes And Knowledge Impact Their Likelihood Of Administering Naloxone?, Nicole Alexis Gulkis

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Law enforcement officers (LEOs) are integral public service providers who have been called upon by government personnel across state and local government bodies to aid in combating the opioid epidemic. As LEOs are often the primary front-line workers who encounter opioid overdose scenarios, more states across the nation are training LEOs to administer naloxone. The emergence of Coronavirus (COVID-19) has complicated LEOs’ involvement with naloxone administration because of shifts in policing strategies and occupational safety procedures. Given the current pandemic, concerns about contraction and transmission of COVID-19 must be considered for LEOs working in the frontlines of these concurrent public …

Police Perceptions And Parenting Styles Among Black Parents Of Miami-Dade County, Amber E. Roach

Masters Theses

A person’s perception of something or someone does not develop without external factors affecting the individual. Experiences and lessons people have learned from a young age have molded their perception of the world. One of those lessons is what is considered correct and what is not. In the Black American community, this is accompanied by the “talk”. This “talk” is shaped by past experiences with the police towards minority groups, specifically, Black Americans. This paper discusses how parenting styles, race, and authority intersect. The purpose of this paper is to examine the beginnings of one’s life, the lessons they are …

Cool Under Fire: Psychopathic Traits And Decision-Making In Law Enforcement-Oriented Populations, Sean J. Mckinley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Law enforcement is an occupation that is typically characterized by high stress, physical danger, and potential for use of excessive force to subdue suspects of criminal activity. Compared to other jobs, the law enforcement profession is considered a high-stakes occupation that has the potential to greatly impact public safety, and officers must face daily dangers not experienced in other professions. While much research has focused on traditional models of personality and police performance (i.e., Big Five traits; Schneider, 2002; Twersky-Glasner, 2005), there may be utility in examining police officer performance through the lens of the triarchic psychopathy domains (Patrick, Fowles, …

The Continued Prohibition Of Cannabis & Racism At Canada’S Borders, Dara Vosoughi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Canada is one of the few jurisdictions in the world where cannabis for personal and recreational purposes is legal. Prior to October 17th 2018, the possession of any quantity of cannabis was a criminal offence, making individuals vulnerable to onerous criminal sanctions. The legislative act that resulted in the decriminalization and regulation of cannabis was framed as a means of advancing public health goals and reducing inequalities. Those once engaged in low level cannabis activities were no longer subject to criminal sanctions within Canada. However, the criminal status and practices upholding the prohibition of cannabis continues at Canada’s borders and …

The Association Between Community-Level Factors And Police Decisions To Found Sexual Assault Cases, Erin Elizabeth Hoffman

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Attrition rates in sexual assault cases remain high despite reforms over the past 30 years (Smith et al., 2018). Evidence suggests the locus of case attrition lies with police decision-making (Spohn & Tellis, 2019). Community-level factors may improve or bias police decisions in sexual assault cases; however, this has yet to be examined. Thus, the purpose of this study was to understand community-level factors that predict police decisions to found a sexual assault case. Founding is the first decision officers make and determines whether a case will be investigated. This study used official available records of sexual assaults reported to …

Changes In Big Five Personality Characteristics During Law Enforcement Academy Training, Randi A. Mitchell

MSU Graduate Theses

Personality is considered a relatively stable construct. However, research indicates personality is more malleable when facing adverse life events and as an individual ages across the lifespan. Some research suggests personality could be used to predict performance. The current study seeks to examine changes in personality characteristics following law enforcement academy completion. Given the demands of a job in law enforcement, one would expect certain changes to occur. The law enforcement academy curriculum includes topics such as, justification-use-of-force, confessions, and arrests, in the first week alone. The curriculum reflects the reality law enforcement professionals will face. It is a dangerous …

“Police Perceptions Amid The Black Lives Matter Movement”, Eadoin Grim

Honors Theses

In 2014, following the police-involved deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, researchers focused their attention on the existence of a “Ferguson Effect,” such that rising homicide rates could be attributed to a reduction in proactive policing due to concerns over heightened public scrutiny. While UCR data would eventually refute the existence of such an Effect, previous research has found that there does appear to be evidence of a perceptual belief in the Ferguson Effect among municipal officers. To date, very little research concerning officer perceptions or experiences has been conducted with campus police departments, creating a substantial gap in …

The Development And Validation Of The General Attitudes Toward Police (Gap) Questionnaire, Rachel Greis

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Previous studies have examined the relationships between various demographic characteristics (e.g., race/ethnicity, prior arrest experience, residential living area, political affiliation) and various measures of attitudes toward police (e.g., trustworthiness, legitimacy; Brown & Benedict, 2002; Hindelang, 1974; Rizer & Trautman, 2018; Schuck et al., 2008). However, a measure of overall general attitudes toward police has not been established. The main goal of the present research was to fill this gap in the literature by creating and validating a brief questionnaire that effectively captures respondents’ general attitudes toward police. In Study 1, a brief 14-item questionnaire that captured general attitudes toward police …

The Relationship Between Programming After Critical Incidents, Shootings, And Resilience In Police, Michelle Lise Vincent

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to examine whether there was a relationship between resilience, posttraumatic growth, and reintegration programming after a critical incident and/or line of duty shooting through the cognitive, self-efficacy and resiliency theoretical lenses. The research aimed to determine if police officers, who participated in reintegration programming, specifically in this study, Edmonton Police’s Reintegration After Critical Incident programming, produced higher scores in resilience as measured on the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC) and posttraumatic growth, as measured on the Post Traumatic Growth Inventory scale (PTGI), with Canadian police officers compared to police officers who do not participate in …

The Impacts Of Race And Video Angle On Judgments Of Police Interactions, Shelby Gabrielle Wynn

MSU Graduate Theses

With the invention of video recording on cell phones and the increased use of social media, the ability to record and distribute instances of police misconduct has become much easier. In recent years, such videos have captured White police officers using extreme force towards black citizens, many times leading to their deaths. Despite the increase in access to these videos, many of the officers involved are not convicted (or even indicted) of any crimes. Researchers have begun to examine variables that impact how people judge videotaped police/civilian interactions. For example, it has been found that when viewing interrogation videos, people …

Encounters Between The Elderly And Law Enforcement: An Overview Of Mental Illness, Addictions, Victims And Criminals

Contemporary Southern Psychology

Abstract

The elderly population is growing dramatically throughout the world. Out of this growth comes an increase in the number of encounters between the aged and law enforcement. These encounters occur because of a variety of factors including mental illnesses and addictions. Furthermore, older adults may be victims as evidenced in different forms of abuse such as physical, emotional, or financial abuse. Sadly, some documentation exists that older adults are committing more crimes. Multiple reasons have been postulated for these crimes including poverty, jealousy, and boredom. All of these different situations with the aged have created an increase in the …

Spheres Of Identity: Theorizing Social Categorization And The Legitimacy Of Criminal Justice Officials, Kwan-Lamar Blount-Hill

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Identity is of central importance in the subjective experience of justice and assessments of legitimacy. In this study, the researcher explores whether perceptions of legitimacy are constructed differently across social group identity, particularly where social groups differ in relation to government (e.g., outgroup or ingroup). The analyses are conducted using data from a procedural justice study conducted in two U. S. cities. The findings suggest evidence of a generally similar construction of legitimacy though with important dissimilarities based on social group. Additionally, certain respondents’ narratives follow common narrative scripts in describing interactions with police, suggestive of a shared master narrative …

Assessing The Strategic Use Of Evidence Using A Psychologically Realistic Paradigm: Improving Diagnosticity Of Elicited Information In The Interrogation Room, Amelia R. Mindthoff

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Strategic Use of Evidence (SUE) is an interrogation method that uses strategic timing (e.g., early vs. late disclosure) and framing of evidence disclosure to elicit verbal cues that can help interrogators discriminate between liars and truth-tellers. Despite mounting empirical support for its efficacy, there are gaps in the SUE literature that the present research addresses (e.g., studying SUE using a psychologically realistic interrogation paradigm). In Study 1, community members engaged in a supposed government-funded knowledge test. During testing, a research assistant posing as another participant prompted (guilty condition) or did not prompt (innocent condition) participants to cheat. An interrogator …

Psychopathy And Police Officers: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of The Relationship Between Psychopathic Traits And Police Work Across Temporal Factors, Hunter N. Moore

Student Theses

It’s estimated that psychopathic personalities constitute about 1% of the general population but is seen at elevated rates in particularly stressful and harsh environments (Babiak & Hare, 2006; Hare, 1996). A career in law enforcement is one known to be uniquely stressful (Lucas et al., 2012), and the trauma from their career seems to be having an impact on their personality (Wills & Schuldberg, 2016). While psychopathy traits have been reported in police officers (Próchniak, 2012), these traits have yet to be assessed as a function of time. The current study explores these relationships by assessing psychopathy traits, as measured …

Animal Assisted Therapy On Law Enforcement Mental Health: A Therapy Dog Implementation Guide, Melena Purvis

Honors Projects

The mental health of law enforcement officers is an ever increasing problem, with our nation’s police officers seeing a constant increase in things like PTSD, depression, and other mental illnesses. However, mental health is already a highly stigmatized topic that is not commonly addressed, and a police subculture of strength and toughness just reinforces that stigma and makes it that much harder for police officers struggling with these issues to get help. This project combines innovation with research to come up with a way to try and improve the mental health of those officers struggling. It provides a manual for …