DEATH ANXIETY AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

• NCJ Number: 58219
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1979) Pages: 230-235
• Author(s): F V WENZ
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 6 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE DEGREE OF DEATH ANXIETY AMONG A SAMPLE OF MALE POLICE OFFICERS IN A MEDIUM-SIZED CITY IS ASSESSED; FEARS AND GENERAL ATTITUDES ARE ALSO EXPLORED.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE FOR THIS RESEARCH CONSISTED OF 120 UNIFORM PATROL, NONSUPERVISORY MALE OFFICERS, WITH 4.4 YEARS MEAN LENGTH OF SERVICE. THE DATA COLLECTED CONSISTED OF RESPONSES TO A QUESTIONNAIRE ABOUT THE OFFICERS' BACKGROUNDS, FAMILIES AND RELIGION. THE QUESTIONNAIRE INCLUDED A 15-ITEM TRUE-FALSE DEATH ANXIETY SCALE AND WAS RESTRICTED TO FEAR OF ONE'S OWN DEATH. RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE SCALE WAS DETERMINED BY A DIVERSITY OF PROCEDURES. ANALYSIS OF THE DATA SHOWED THAT THE MEAN DEATH ANXIETY SCALE SCORE OF 7.23 DOES NOT OFFER STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PREDICTION THAT POLICE OFFICERS IN THE SAMPLE EXPERIENCED HIGH DEATH ANXIETY, DESPITE FREQUENT OBSERVATION OF DEATH IN A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS; 89 PERCENT WERE EXPOSED TO WORK-RELATED DEATH WITHIN THE FIRST THREE YEARS OF EMPLOYMENT. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR THIS FINDING INCLUDE DESENSITIZATION AS THE RESULT OF GRADUAL EXPOSURE TO DEATH OR STRONG ATTITUDES OF DENIAL AND REPRESSION. THERE IS GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT FEAR OF DEATH EXISTS AMONG POLICEMEN, BUT IT IS EITHER NOT READILY ADMITTED TO CONSCIOUSNESS OR NOT TAPPED THROUGH QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES. SURPRISINGLY, RELIGIOUS VARIABLES WERE NOT SIGNIFICANTLY CORRELATED WITH DEATH ANXIETY; OFFICER RACE WAS NOT INDICATIVE OF DEATH ANXIETY SCORES EITHER. SIMILARLY, EDUCATION LEVEL DID NOT CORRELATE IN A STATISTICALLY MEANINGFUL WAY WITH DEATH ANXIETY. MARRIED OFFICERS SCORED HIGHER ON DEATH ANXIETY THAN UNMARRIED OFFICERS, AND CHILDREN IN THE FAMILY CORRELATED POSITIVELY WITH HIGHER SCORES. THE MAJOR IMPLICATION OF THE STUDY IS THAT POLICE EDUCATION HAS NEGLECTED DEATH EDUCATION; SOCIALIZATION INTO THE POLICE ROLE DOES LITTLE TO PREPARE THE OFFICER, PARTICULARLY THE ROOKIE, TO COPE WITH THE DEATH OF OTHERS AND THE POTENTIAL DEATH OF ONESELF IN THE LINE OF DUTY. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THOSE RECRUITS WITH HIGH DEATH ANXIETY SCORES MIGHT BE ASSIGNED TO A LOW VIOLENCE PATROL AREA AND BE EASED GRADUALLY INTO HIGH RISK AREAS. FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (LWM)