NCJ Number
112732
Journal
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice Volume: 19 Issue: 4 Dated: (August 1988) Pages: 421-425
Date Published
1988
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Using data from a national survey of 193 large municipal police departments and 39 primary State police agencies, this study examined the current use, perceived need, and anticipated future use of psychological services by police.
Abstract
These data were compared with results of a 1979 study that covered much the same ground, but on a smaller scope. Doctoral level psychologists were the most frequently cited group of psychological service providers and were also the primary providers for each of 25 specific services presented in the questionnaire. As in the 1979 study, more than half of the departments surveyed reported the use of psychological services for the assessment of recruits and to provide personal, family, and job-related stress counseling. Training functions currently provided by mental health professionals included crisis intervention training, hostage negotiation, and handling the suicidal and the mentally ill. Other services used by more than a third of departments included examinations of problem officers and curriculum development. Services showing use (less than 15 percent) were hypnosis, retirement counseling, promotion evaluation, and victim counseling. In most cases, the perceived need was almost twice as great as the percentage of departments actually using the service. Victim counseling, and promotion evaluation were viewed as particularly needed. While there was high acceptance of the use of psychological services, the moderate number of departments actually planning to implement or expand services may be due to budgetary constraints, which were reported by 64 percent of departments. 1 table and 26 references. (Author abstract modified)