NCJ Number
81526
Date Published
1970
Length
10 pages
Annotation
The development of a predictive model which uses preemployment information to identify the high-risk police applicant is described, and results from its testing are reported.
Abstract
It was hypothesized that the life history factors of unsuccessful peace officers (those separated for cause and ineligible for rehire), as revealed in the preemployment information contained in their personnel files, would differ identifiably and significantly from those of nonfailure terminations (voluntary resignations eligible for rehire) and of officers retained for 7 years or longer. The personnel files of 5,000 male offiers and ex-offenders in 14 police jurisdictions were examined to determine whether any recorded preemployment factors significantly discriminated among men retained by their employers for 7 years or longer, men who left law enforcement voluntarily, and men terminated for cause. On the basis of the results, a predictive model was developed and applied to the demographic information contained in the preemployment histories of 1,765 police officer hired from November 1, 1968, through October 31, 1969, in the same jurisdictions. As of January 1, 1970, 100 of these officers had left their law enforcement jobs. Of these, the model predicted that 64 would terminate or be terminated within 7 years from the date of their hiring. Eighty of the 100 were characterized by their employers as failures, and of these 80, the model predicted that 43 would be terminated as failures. Although the developed predictive model leaves much to be desired, it is superior to the nonvalidated and unstandardized techniques currently used. Tabular and graphic data are provided, along with 25 references. (Author abstract modified)