NCJ Number
84206
Date Published
1969
Length
144 pages
Annotation
This report emphasizes the effects of police field experience on role concept changes.
Abstract
Researchers administered a battery of six test instruments to officers in four city departments. Assessment focused on role conflict, perception of audiences, aggregate role, role attributes, perception of danger, and attitudinal orientations to role. In addition, all 152 participants completed a life history form, a supplemental information form, and a personality test. Testing was performed at the beginning and upon completion of recruit training. As expected, role conflict was limited and of low intensity for the beginning student. Training expanded the possibility of conflict and increased the behavioral expectations of other reference groups (e.g., other officers). The majority of recruits believed that police and court audiences expected impersonal behavior from them and that the public held them to a good natured role. In general, few statistically significant differences occurred during the short time span of recruit training. It is concluded that changes in attitudinal orientations to the police role are relatively unrelated to the recruit/student role. They are related to the enactment of the subsequent role, that of apprentice policeman. Extensive tables and about 50 references are provided; eight test instruments and information forms are appended.