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First Day at the Police Academy: Stress-Reaction-Training as a Screening-Out Technique

NCJ Number
125034
Journal
Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1990) Pages: 89-105
Author(s)
B L Berg
Date Published
1990
Length
17 pages
Annotation
Drawing on data from a larger ethnographic study of police academies in Massachusetts including seven months of intensive field observations, this study describes stress-reaction-training (SRT) programs. It is not known how many academies intentionally employ SRT as a screening-out strategy, and furthermore, SRT has not been subject to any validation tests.
Abstract
Prescreening selection processes for police agencies is a frequent concern; currently used strategies are often not completely effective. Screening-in techniques include the use of intelligence and aptitude tests, character references, and background investigations while screening-out strategies can be categorized as physical health and agility, projective tests, self-reports, and behavioral observations. Police academies use desocialization techniques to produce a unified group of blank recruits; the process of resocialization or role transition, then begins to teach recruits new patterns of behavior, values, and attitudes. SRT has become popular as both a screening-out and desocialization device. The basic assumption of SRT is to identify individuals who become disorganized, immobilized, or who overreact during situations of severe stress. In State run SRT sessions, verbal abasement, strenuous physical exercise, and drilling are used in a process that is partially modeled after military boot camp training. Low intensity SRT does not include exercise in conjunction with the other two elements. Excerpts from several SRT training sessions are included. Without a standard SRT curriculum, sessions often degenerate into intimidation strategies; without validation studies, it is not known whether SRT accomplishes desired and legitimate goals. For SRT to be successful it must be curtailed; have a curriculum developed by police practitioners, psychiatrists, physicians, and social scientists; be evaluated; be supervised by a medical technician; be observed by a psychiatrist; and be limited to the first day of police recruit training. 4 notes, 22 references. (Author abstract modified)

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