NCJ Number
44599
Date Published
1977
Length
233 pages
Annotation
PARTICIPANT SURVEYS, SPECIAL INCIDENT REPORTS, AND DEPARTMENTAL RECORDS ARE EMPLOYED IN AN EVALUATION OF A 1-WEEK CRISIS INTERVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM ADMINISTERED TO POLICE OFFICERS IN WISCONSIN.
Abstract
THE TRAINING WAS DIVIDED INTO TWO SETS OF SESSIONS, ONE IN THE SPRING AND ONE IN THE FALL OF 1976. FOR THE SPRING SESSIONS, QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO TRAINING PARTICIPANTS AND TO OFFICERS FROM THE SAME DEPARTMENTS WHO HAD NOT PARTICIPATED. ALL OF THE OFFICERS HELD RELATIVELY POSITIVE VIEWS OF DEALING WITH DISTURBANCE CALLS AND OF THEIR COMPETENCE IN THIS AREA. OFFICERS WHO HAD RECEIVED THE TRAINING WERE SLIGHTLY MORE POSITIVE. IN THE FALL, QUESTIONNAIRES WERE ADMINISTERED TO OFFICERS BEFORE AND AFTER PARTICIPATION IN THE TRAINING. THESE OFFICERS ALSO WERE GENERALLY POSITIVE ABOUT CRISIS INTERVENTION, MORE SO AFTER THE TRAINING. BOTH GROUPS OF TRAINEES FOUND THE TRAINING ENJOYABLE AND HELPFUL AND HAD ATTEMPTED TO USE THE TECHNIQUES THEY HAD LEARNED. ALTHOUGH THERE WERE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPECIAL INCIDENT REPORT PART OF THE EVALUATION, THE DATA SUGGEST MINIMAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TRAINEES AND NONTRAINEES WITH REGARD TO THE HANDLING OF CRISIS SITUATIONS. A REVIEW OF DEPARTMENTAL RECORDS WAS ALSO INCONCLUSIVE. IT IS NOTED THAT THE FAILURE TO DEVELOP AN EVALUATION DESIGN PRIOR TO THE DELIVERY OF THE PROGRAM LIMITED THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE IMPACT OF THE TRAINING ON POLICE PERFORMANCE COULD BE MEASURED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SUPPORTING DATA AND DOCUMENTATION ARE PROVIDED. THE TRAINING CURRICULUM IS DESCRIBED IN NCJ-44601. (LKM)