NCJ Number
197964
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 30 Issue: 6 Dated: November/December 2002 Pages: 491-498
Editor(s)
Kent B. Joscelyn
Date Published
November 2002
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examined the personal ethical orientations of police recruits and those who had 1-year of experience, as well as their ethical orientation differences and characteristics associated with those differences.
Abstract
By identifying the ethical orientations of active law enforcement personnel and factors influencing those orientations, instructional strategies can be developed that are most likely to be effective. This article begins with a theoretical discussion of ethical orientations and then a review of the ethical orientation measurement tool used followed by the results of the application of the measurement tool to new recruits and 1-year returning trainees in a State police agency. Study results indicated that there was a significant difference between the two groups as to ethical orientation and the relationship between education and ethical orientation. New recruits reflected the idealistic ethical dimension more so than did the 1-year trainees who reflected the relativistic ethical dimension. One-year trainees were more likely to be subjectivists than were new recruits. Among 1-year trainees, the relativist score declined as education increased. It is possible that those who have more education are more settled in their ethical orientation and are less influenced by the training and organization socialization process. This research analysis is limited by the 1-year time period separating the two groups. A longitudinal cohort analysis is recommended as providing additional insights into the influence of ethical orientation police officer decision-making. Tables and references