AIDS and Law Enforcement in Texas: An Empirical Assessment of Police Officers' Perceptions and Their Implications

• NCJ Number: 175013
• Journal: Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology Volume: 11 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 1996 Pages: 41-53
• Author(s): R A Thompson
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 13 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study assessed the impact on police performance of beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes regarding the AIDS virus as held by a sample of 142 Texas police officers.

Abstract

Subjects were selected from six central Texas law enforcement agencies. The sizes, missions, and responsibilities of these agencies differed somewhat and represented members from various State, municipal, and institutional branches of law enforcement. The instrument designed by the researcher for use in this study was the Law Enforcement and AIDS Survey (LEAS). LEAS consists of 54 questions divided into six areas of inquiry: type of training and protective devices with which officers were provided; the existence and perceived adequacy of departmental policy that guides officer behavior in potentially infectious situations; frequency with which officers face a risk of exposure to the virus, practical reactions during these contacts, and the perceived levels of stress that result from them; beliefs of officers about the major modes of HIV transmission; perceived ethical responsibility to act in situations that place officers at risk of exposure to the virus; and respondents' personal histories regarding AIDS testing. It is clear from the survey findings that officers' concerns about AIDS have implications for training, policy, procedures, and mental health services. Officers must be instructed in the nature of and transmission of AIDS, as well as how to protect themselves in the course of dealing with possible carriers of the virus. Departmental procedures must ensure that officers perform their duties in a manner that is safe, fair, and beneficial to all persons involved. Mental health services for officers must focus on the mental processes that either directly or indirectly influence the development of officers' beliefs, perceptions, and attitudes about the AIDS virus and its carriers. 3 tables and 45 references