NCJ Number
123794
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1988) Pages: 243-248
Date Published
1988
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Information on occupational mortality in Washington State for 1950-71 was used to determine whether policing is an especially stressful and hazardous occupation.
Abstract
The analysis used data on the age at death and the cause of death for all of the approximately 300,000 white males who died during that period in Washington. A Proportionate Mortality Ratio (PMR) was calculated for each cause of death in each occupational group to make comparisons among occupations. The analysis focused particularly on the 67 occupations with at least 500 deaths and on the four causes explicitly linked to police work in prior research: homicide, suicide, accidents, and violence. Findings showed that contrary to the common expectation, the police officers had lifespans that were 1 year longer than the average. However, the patterns of causes provided some support for the view that policing involves unusual hazards. Police were less likely than the average male to die of accidents generally or from motor vehicle accidents, but they were more likely to commit suicide and considerably more likely to die by homicide. The relatively high risk of death by homicide may be a major cause of psychological stress, and the relatively high suicide rate may be a symptom of this stress. Tables, notes, and 21 references.