NCJ Number
61878
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1979) Pages: 336-339
Date Published
1979
Length
4 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE PROVIDES AN EMPIRICAL TEST OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK ALIENATION AND POLICE CYNICISM.
Abstract
WHILE PAST POLICE LITERATURE HAS SUGGESTED THAT WORK ALIENATION MAY BE THE CRITICAL LINK BETWEEN THE CYNICAL POLICE OFFICER AND THE ANOMIC ONE, NO EMPIRICAL TEST HAD EVER BEEN PERFORMED. DATA FOR SUCH A TEST WERE COLLECTED FROM QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES OF 242 POLICE OFFICERS RESPRESENTING 9 SEPARATE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. RESPONDENTS, LIKE MOST OTHER U.S. POLICE OFFICERS, WERE WHITE MALES, POLITICALLY CONSERVATIVE, LOWER-MIDDLE-TO MIDDLE-CLASS, MARRIED WITH CHILDREN, AND HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES. STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES SUGGESTED THAT POLICE CYNICISM AND WORK ALIENATION WERE EMPIRICALLY RELATED. PARTIAL CORRELATION TECHNIQUES WERE THEN EMPLOYED TO UNRAVEL THE NATURE OF THE RELATIONSHIP. DATA ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE POLICE CYNICISM/WORK ALIENATION HELD FOR (1) POLICE WITH MORE THAN TWO YEARS OF SERVICE AND LOWER MIDDLE-CLASS STATUS, (2) POLICE WITH LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF SERVICE IN SMALL POLICE DEPARTMENTS, AND (3) POLICE WITH LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF SERVICE WHO HAD LESS THAN TWO YEARS OF COLLEGE EDUCATION. FOR ALL OTHER CATEGORIES OF POLICE EXAMINED, NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORK ALIENATION AND POLICE CYNICISM EXISTED. THUS, HIGH LEVEL OF POLICE CYNICISM AND WORK ALIENATION ARE ENDEMIC TO SPECIFIC CATEGORIES OF POLICE AND NOT TO OTHERS. DEPARTMENTAL POLICIES SHOULD THEREFORE BE AIMED MORE NARROWLY AT THE PROBLEM SOURCE. TABULAR AND FOOTNOTES ARE PROVIDED. (MJW)