published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Politics and Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Abstract Purpose – The article aims to report on an examination of South African Police Service (SAPS) recruits for indicators evincing the presence of the police culture theme of isolation. The research also seeks to determine if the presence of isolation as characteristic of SAPS recruits is gender neutral as well as whether indicators of social isolation change over the period of basic recruit training as well as during the first period of encounter, field training.

published_or_final_version / Criminology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Sociology / Master / Master of Social Sciences

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Tracking and addressing police members' effectiveness in areas that could impact on the standard of their services are important. Burnout, job stress and ways to cope are specific focus areas in this regard. Previous research indicates relationships between burnout, job stress and coping while such relationships in the SAPS in the Free State have not yet been investigated. The objectives of this research were to determine the reliability and validity of the MBI-GS for SAPS members in the Free State, and secondly to determine the relationship between job stress and burnout, and thirdly to determine whether coping strategies can moderate or mediate the relationship between job stress and burnout A stratified random sample of 332 police personnel in the Free State was taken. The Maslach Burnout Inventory - General Survey (MI-GS), Police Stress Inventory (PSI) and the Cope Questionnaire (COPE) were used as measuring instruments. Cronbach alpha coefficients, inter-item correlation coefficients, Pearson-product correlation coefficients and canonical correlation coefficients were used to analyse the data. Structural equation modelling (SEM) methods were used to construct coping models of burnout. Structural equation modelling confirmed a 3-factor model of burnout. All three factors showed acceptable internal consistencies. Job stress was associated with exhaustion, which led to cynicism. Job stress was independently related to lower levels of professional efficacy. Active coping and seeking emotional support moderate the relationship between job stress and professional efficacy. Avoidance moderates the relationship between job stress and exhaustion and mediates the relationship between job stress and cynicism. Recommendations for future research were made. / Thesis (M.A. (Industrial Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

This Ph.D. thesis provides an analysis of "ordered statements" in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ("R.C.M.P."). Statements can be compelled from R.C.M.P. members who are under "internal" investigation for misconduct. Ordered statements from police officers raise a number of difficult and complex questions that have not been thoroughly examined in Canada. Accountability in policing consists of a complex web of criminal, internal, administrative, public, and civil mechanisms to review misconduct. In order to properly consider ordered statements four threads of analysis are utilized. First, by way of background, context and comparison, this thesis describes and evaluates internal management, culture and discipline in policing, in particular the R.C.M.P. Second, this thesis examines and evaluates the role of various external mechanisms that regulate police conduct. Third, various models of civilian oversight are compared and contrasted to position the R.C.M.P. regime internationally. Fourth, the working environment of police officers and R.C.M.P. members is explored, demonstrating that it is significantly different from other occupations, calling into question the applicability of traditional management practices. The thesis concludes that the legal and constitutional position of ordered statements is uncertain, adding to morale and organizational problems in the R.C.M.P. Based on interviews with 107 members, and an examination of other sources, this thesis reveals how ordered statements in the R.C.M.P. work in actual practice, and how this mechanism impacts upon individual members and the organization itself. The results reveal marked disparity between official and member accounts. The material and findings not only challenge basic theoretical premises that inform the employment context of R.C.M.P. members, they seriously question the function of and need for ordered statements. They also establish that the specific employment and organizational context must be more adequately considered by academics and policy-makers when examining the issue of ordered statements. These findings fill gaps in the literature and hopefully contribute to theory on police accountability. The thesis ends with a number of recommendations to improve the current R.C.M.P. regime.

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