USE OF THE STRONG-CAMPBELL INTEREST INVENTORY IN THE SELECTION OF POLICE EVIDENCE TECHNICIANS

• NCJ Number: 61874
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 3 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1979) Pages: 300-313
• Author(s): T S WHITE; J I THORNTON
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Sale Source: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PRICE QUOTED IS FOR ENTIRE ISSUE.

Annotation

THIS ARTICLE PRESENTS A WAY OF DEVELOPING OBJECTIVE CRITERIA BY WHICH POLICE AGENCIES CAN IDENTIFY THOSE OFFICERS WHO ARE MORE LIKELY TO EXCEL AS CRIME TECHNICIANS.

Abstract

THE FIRST STEP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OBJECTIVE CRITERIA FOR SELECTION OF CRIME SCENE TECHNICIANS IS TO DETERMINE NECESSARY QUALITIES. SINCE FEW MANUALS LIST OR DISCUSS THESE, SURVEY WAS CARRIED OUT OF SELECTED MEMBERS OF THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF CRIMINALISTS. THE 27 PERCENT WHO RESPONDED GAVE LISTS OF PERSONALITY TRAITS AND APPTITUDES, SUCH AS ETHICAL CONDUCT, PERSEVERANCE, AND ABILITY TO WRITE AND SPEAK WELL. FURTHER INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM 52 PRACTICING CRIME SCENE TECHNICIANS WHO WERE GIVEN A COPY OF THE STRONG-CAMPBELL INTEREST INVENTORY TO COMPLETE. A TOTAL OF 44 PERSONS REESPONDED. A SECOND SAMPLE OF 35 PROFILES WAS COLLECTED OF TECHNICIANS WHO WERE ATTENDING TWO TRAINING SCHOOLS AS WELL AS A THIRD SAMPLE COMPARISON OF TEST RESULTS FROM THESE THREE SAMPLE GROUPS LEADS TO SEVERAL CONCLUSIONS: (1) AN INTEREST IN CRIME SCENE TECHNICIAN WORK CAN BE DETECTED USING THE STRONG-CAMPBELL INTEREST INVENTORY, (2) A CRIME SCENE TECHNICIAN INTEREST SCALE CAN BE CONSTRUCTED USING THE TECHNIQUES AND ADHERING CLOSELY TO THE GUIDELINES FOR THE OCCUPATIONAL SCALES OF THE STRONG-CAMPBELL INTEREST INVENTORY, (3) ITEMS FOR THIS SCALE PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE PERSONALITIES AND DESIRED WORK ENVIRONMENTS OF CRIME SCENE TECHNICIANS AND AND NONTECHNICIAN POLICE OFFICERS, (4) THE ITEMS ARE SUBTLE, FOR THE MOST PART, AND WOULD NOT SEEM SUSCEPTIBLE TO DETECTION BY PERSONS BENT ON FALSELY PORTRAYING THEMSELVES AS INTERESTED CRIME SCENE TECHNICIANS, AND (5) A POSITIVE CORRELATION MAY EXIST BETWEEN SCORES ON THE CRIME SCENE TECHNICIAN INTEREST SCALE AND CRIME SCENE TECHNICIAN PERFORMANCE, AND IT PROBABLY SHOULD BE USED IN SELECTING TECHNICIAN CANDIDATES. TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)