NCJ Number
11653
Journal
JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL LAW, CRIMINOLOGY AND POLICE SCIENCE Volume: 63 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1972) Pages: 570-576
Date Published
1972
Length
7 pages
Annotation
SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH PSYCHOLOGICAL EXAMS ARE USED IN POLICE SELECTION AND PROMOTION EVALUATION.
Abstract
FOLLOWING A BRIEF REVIEW OF LITERATURE ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SCREENING OF OFFICERS FOR EMOTIONAL STABILITY, THE AUTHOR FOCUSED ON THE METHODOLOGY AND TEST RESULTS OF A MORE RECENT SURVEY OF LOCAL AND STATE POLICE AGENCIES. QUESTIONNAIRE RESPONSES INDICATE THAT 39.4 PERCENT OF THE DEPARTMENTS USED PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING TO EVALUATE POTENTIAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. ALMOST HALF OF THE RESPONDANTS APPLIED THE SAME PERSONALITY INVENTORY TO THEIR APPLICANTS. HOWEVER, A NUMBER OF AGENCIES STILL USED TESTS OF INTELLIGENCE RATHER THAN PERSONALITY. THE AUTHOR SUGGESTS THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTS COULD BE USED IN POLICE LOCATION ASSIGNMENTS, AND ALSO RECOMMENDS THE UTILIZATION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL BATTERIES FOR POLICE PROMOTION.