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Police Stress in an Occupational Context

NCJ Number
123792
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1988) Pages: 229-235
Author(s)
R H Anson; M E Bloom
Date Published
1988
Length
7 pages
Annotation
The occupational stress experienced by police officers, prison guards, probation officers, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians was examined using information from a questionnaire survey conducted in the Albany, Ga. area.
Abstract
Information came from 43 police officers, 30 prison guards, 43 probation officers, 35 firefighters, and 29 emergency medical technicians. Chronic occupational stress was defined using a 15-item scale, while episodic work stress was determined using a 30-item index. Additional scales measured tedium and burnout in terms of three subscales each. Findings showed that policing is stressful, but not more stressful than other criminal justice occupations involving people-processing. However, firefighters showed significantly less stress than the criminal justice personnel, perhaps because they are oriented more to equipment and its maintenance. In addition, the stressors that emergency medical technicians face are highly focused and brief. Finally, police officers face both physical danger and a great variety of other stressors. Tables and 72 references.

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