NCJ Number
84057
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 10 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1982) Pages: 229-234
Date Published
1982
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This study of problem areas for police families focuses on (1) predictors of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with being a police family, (2) racial differences related to satisfactions or dissatisfactions with being a police family, and (3) whether there are any differences between families of rookies and other officers.
Abstract
Subjects for the study were 250 police wives in seven Southern cities. The questionnaire administered to the subjects contained 50 items representing potential problem areas for the police family. Police wives were most concerned about promotions, with there being a general feeling that most police promotional systems are unfair. Wives of black officers reported feeling more alienation from the community as a result of being a police family compared to wives of white officers. Black wives also reported that their husbands take a more authoritarian posture in childrearing. Differences between satisfied and dissatisfied wives were related to attitudes toward husbands' changing shifts, husbands' overprotectiveness, being under the scrutiny of neighbors and friends, the effectiveness of the correctional system, and the press's treatment of the police. Differences between the wives of rookie (officers and wives of longer-term officers were shown in the degree of adaptation to the limited availability of officers to their families, the tendency of officers to become authoritarian in relationships, and perceived public attitudes toward police. Findings suggest that the education of police families and the general public about the functions and patterns of police officers could relieve some of the areas of tension in police families. Tabular data and five references are provided.