NCJ Number
58218
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1979) Pages: 215-229
Date Published
1979
Length
15 pages
Annotation
PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS IN POLICE SELECTION ARE DISCUSSED, CONDUCT AND IMPACT OF A CLINICAL EVALUATION, AND THE NATURE OF A CLINICIAN'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE DEPARTMENT.
Abstract
A TRADITIONAL PART OF THE SELECTION PROCESS IN MANY POLICE DEPARTMENTS IS THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TEST. THERE IS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THIS PROCESS, AND BECAUSE IT TAKES SEVERAL FORMS, IT IS PERHAPS BEST TO USE THE TERM 'CLINICAL APPRAISAL' TO DESCRIBE THIS SPECIFIC AREA OF TESTING. THERE ARE TWO AREAS IN WHICH POLICE EMPLOYERS TEND TO EXPECT HELP FROM CLINICAL APPRAISALS: IN ESTIMATING THE LIKELIHOOD OF SOME FUTURE BREAKDOWN OR ABBERATION IN AN APPLICANT'S BEHAVIOR, AND IN DETERMINING TO WHAT EXTENT AN APPLICANT'S PERSONALITY MATCHES SOME IDEAL PROFILE FOR POLICE WORK. THIS LAST FACTOR SERVES AS AN IMPORTANT BASIS FOR THE POPULARITY OF SUCH CLINICAL APPRAISALS; THAT IS, THE VERY NOTION THAT THERE EXISTS SOME SORT OF DESIRABLE POLICE PERSONALITY, ONE PARTICULARLY APPROPRIATE FOR POLICE WORK AND FOR WHICH ALL APPLICANTS SHOULD BE SCREENED. THE CLINICAL APPRAISAL PROCEDURE IS SHAPED IN MOST DEPARTMENTS THROUGH A COMPROMISE BETWEEN THE PROFESSIONAL'S PREFERRED WORKING STYLE AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE DEPARTMENT CAN DIRECT TO THIS PURPOSE. THE RESULTING APPRAISAL PACKAGES TAKE MANY FORMS. A COMMON ONE IS THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE MINNESOTA MULTIPHASIC PERSONALITY INVENTORY, SCORING BY MACHINE, INTERPRETATION BY THE PROFESSIONAL, AND CLINICAL INTERVIEWS WITH ONLY THOSE CANDIDATES WHOSE SCORES RAISE DOUBTS ABOUT THEIR SUITABILITY. THE PURPOSE OF THE CLINICAL INTERVIEW IS TO GIVE THE PROFESSIONAL A VIEW OF THE CANDIDATE 'IN THE ROUND' BEFORE A SELECTION RECOMMENDATION IS MADE. BY GUIDING THE DISCUSSION IN CERTAIN DIRECTIONS, INFORMATION FROM PREVIOUS TESTS AND OTHER SOURCES CAN BE CROSS-CHECKED. THE RATE OF APPLICANT REJECTION DUE TO CLINICAL APPRAISAL VARIES ACCORDING TO WHEN THE APPRAISAL OCCURS IN THE SELECTION PROCESS, POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS, AND THE PERSONAL DECISION GUIDELINES OF THE PROFESSIONALS INVOLVED. HOWEVER, A DEPARTMENT'S CLINICAL APPRAISAL PROGRAM WILL PROBABLY BE SUCCESSFUL ONLY IF IT HAS CONTINUITY. BECAUSE EACH PROFESSIONAL HAS A SOMEWHAT DIFFERENT METHOD, THE LONG TERM STABILITY OF USING THE SAME PROFESSIONAL SEEMS HIGHLY DESIRABLE. REFERENCES ARE FOOTNOTED. (KBL)