| Title: |
Police Perjury: A Factorial Survey
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| Author: |
Michael Oliver Foley
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Sponsoring
Agency: |
US Dept of Justice
National Institute of Justice
United States
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| Sale: |
Bell & Howell Information & Learning
300 North Zeeb Road
P.O. Box 1346
Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346
United States
City University of New York
New York, NY 10036
United States
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| Format: |
dissertation
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Publication
Date: |
2000
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| Pages: |
176
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| Type: |
Studies/research reports
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| Origin: |
United States
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| Language: |
English
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| Grant No.: |
98-IJ-CX-0032
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| Note: |
City University of New York - doctoral dissertation
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| Annotation: |
A study of 508 New York City police officers used the factorial
survey method to determine the underlying conditions and
circumstances that an officer would take into account in making a
decision to commit perjury.
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| Abstract: |
A literature review revealed that lying is as common or more
common than honesty in modern life. The courts, police agencies,
and society have acknowledged, justified, and approved the use of
lying and deception by police. The present research used interviews
with more than 100 police officers and a subsequent focus group of
6 police officers to specify 9 dimensions and 50 levels as categories
for the factorial survey. The participants received questionnaires
containing 24 unique vignettes. Each vignette depicted a typical
arrest situation. The participants made judgments on each vignette.
The research also included a neutralization scale and a short form of
the Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability (Lie) Scale in anticipation
that some police officers would not have variability in their
responses. Results of ordinary least-squares regression analysis
revealed that 77 percent of the officers indicated that perjury would
be probable in some of the vignettes. Police perjury varied with the
job assignment and the type of crime. Female police appeared less
likely to commit perjury than male officers; seniority had no
significant influence. Results also revealed the common motivations
and rationales for committing perjury and the factors that deterred
perjury. Findings suggested that police agencies must make the
elimination of police perjury and continuous education in ethics
among their priorities. Further research is also recommended.
Tables, appended background information and instruments, and 177
references (Author abstract modified)
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| Main Term: |
Police decisionmaking
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| Index Term: |
Perjury ; Police reports ; Professional conduct and ethics ; Arrest
and apprehension ; False evidence ; Police corruption ; Police
testimony ; Police inservice training ; Corrections policies ; New
York ; Police work attitudes ; NIJ grant-related documents ;
Evidence collection ; Police discretion
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