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Description: This study presents an extension of Niederhoffer's (1967) work on police cynicism, arguing that the effect of officer cynicism on problem behavior should vary by work environment (i.e., police districts, precincts, or similar organizational entities) in concert with differences in the "reality" of police work across those entities. It is argued that officers working in particular environments may experience greater difficulty returning to professional commitment, increasing the likelihood of cynicism taking hold and evolving toward an anomic condition. Furthermore, some environments may tend to "breed" cynicism. Using survey data collected from a sample of Philadelphia police officers, as well as official departmental records, this study examines the effects of officer cynicism and ecological characteristics of police districts on police problem behavior (PPB). Results indicate that although there is significant district-level variation in PPB, and cynicism predicts PPB while controlling for other officer characteristics, the effect of cynicism on PPB does not confirm ecological variation. Implications for theory, policy, and practice are discussed.
Suggested Citation:
Hickman, M. J. (2008). On the context of police cynicism and problem behavior [Electronic Version]. Applied Psychology in Criminal Justice,
4(1), 1-44.
Keywords: officer cynicism, police problem behavior, police misbehavior, public trust, confidence in law enforcement, citizen oversight, police coercion, police misconduct, job satisfaction, job performance
Date: May 01, 2008 | File Size: 401.28 Kb | Downloads: 2837