NCJ Number
9129
Date Published
Unknown
Length
11 pages
Annotation
RESEARCH SURVEY CONDUCTED WITH PERSONNEL FROM THE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT TO DETERMINE THE CORRELATION BETWEEN EDUCATIONAL LEVEL AND DISSATISFACTION WITH POLICE WORK.
Abstract
THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY INDICATED THAT OFFICERS WITHOUT ANY COLLEGE EDUCATION TEND TO BECOME DISSATISFIED AS THEY FEEL TENSE ON THE JOB. 'SUCH A TENDENCY WAS REVERSED FOR COLLEGE GRADUATES. TENSION, INEVITABLY CHARACTERISTIC OF THE POLICE ROLE, WAS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH DISSATISFACTION. SIMILARLY, IF COLLEGE GRADUATES BECAME ANGRY, THEY TENDED TO FEEL DISSATISFACTION. THIS WAS INTERPRETED TO MEAN THEY HAD NOT MET THEIR SELF-IMPOSED STANDARDS FOR SELF-CONTROL. THE FINDINGS IN THE STUDY SUGGEST THAT AS EDUCATION LEVELS INCREASE THE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH JOB SATISFACTION CHANGE AND BECOME MORE SENSITIVE TO OFFICERS' FEELINGS OF BEING IN CONTROL. ONE DESIRABLE AIM OF ANY STRATEGY TO MAKE POLICE DEPARTMENTS MORE ATTRACTIVE TO COLLEGE EDUCATED PERSONNEL WOULD BE TO INITIATE CHANGES WHICH WOULD ENHANCE OFFICER'S BELIEFS THAT THEY ARE PERSONALLY IN CONTROL OF THE ENVIRONMENTS AROUND THEM.' AUTHOR ABSTRACT