NCJ Number
94178
Date Published
1984
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This paper discusses the difficulties officers experience in making the daily transition from enforcer of the law to member of a household.
Abstract
Officers must learn to handle the special demands that their career places on their home life. Over time, most officers become disillusioned and begin to take out their frustrations at home. Because of the stress that the profession places on the spouse, the frustration and tension within the family compound. Personality changes that police officers experience develop as a coping mechanism for dealing with the tension they confront at work. Three commonly experienced changes are secretiveness, restrictiveness, and aggressiveness. Within the family itself, frequent problems are social isolation, not enough time for the children, and problems with the children. Difficulties allowed to fester may lead to more serious consequences such as alcoholism, divorce, and suicide. In addition to the obvious solution of counseling, group discussions where officers and their spouses can ventilate their feelings about police work are a constructive emotional outlet. Six notes, a discussion guide, and study questions are included.