NCJ Number
197617
Journal
International Journal of Police Science and Management Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: 2002 Pages: 213-232
Editor(s)
Ian K. McKenzie
Date Published
2002
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This article reports on an investigation conducted to test the usefulness of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2) in identifying undesirable police applicants in the State of Victoria, Australia, in 1999.
Abstract
The data used in this study were taken from the results of the MMPI-2 which was administered to all recruits from 1985 to 1999 by the Police Department in the State of Victoria, Australia. It also used discipline data from the Ethical Standards Department and psychometric data from the Force Psychology Unit. Scores were taken from two independent groups of police officers, 149 undesirables and 151 desirables. The primary question addressed in this study was whether the two groups attained significantly different MMPI-2 scores. A discriminate analysis produced a predictive model and correctly classified 81.9 percent of all the cases. The findings contributed significantly to the research literature on psychological testing and prediction of unethical behavior by police. It is recommended that even more use be made of the MMPI-2 to screen out applicants who are at risk of future misconduct. Figures are included showing, for example, a histogram for the desirables and the undesirables; a calculation for undesirables; and a calculation for the desirables. Tables are included that show, for example, scales of the MMPI-2; Harris-Lingoes sub-scales; mean raw scores for the desirables and undesirables; correlates of the scales that in combination produced the most accurate classification model and the Fisher's linear discriminate function; results of the predictive discriminate analysis on the 70 percent random selection of the desirables and the undesirables; and scores for an example case. References, appendices