Homicide-suicide in police families: an analysis of cases from 2007-2014

2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera A. Klinoff ◽  
Vincent B. Van Hasselt ◽  
Ryan A. Black
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Formal Analysis ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Online Forum ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – There is a burgeoning body of evidence showing that police officers are at a higher risk of committing homicide-suicide than civilian counterparts. The purpose of this paper is to provide an update and expansion of previous work by Violanti (2007) on homicide-suicide in law enforcement families. Design/methodology/approach – Police-perpetrated homicide-suicide cases were obtained through an online forum dedicated to topics related to domestic violence in police families. A total of 43 police-perpetrated homicide-suicides was identified and reviewed for presence/absence of variables similar to those examined by Violanti (2007), with the addition of new factors. χ2 analyses were performed to test for inter-study differences in proportions on variables of interest. Findings – Results indicated a significantly smaller proportion of homicide-suicide incidents perpetrated by State officers. The remainder of the variable frequencies remained relatively consistent between studies. Of particular importance, domestic violence and divorce/estrangement were salient precursors in these cases. Research limitations/implications – Data were obtained from an online forum and media publications, which may not be regulated for accuracy and may contain biased data. Practical implications – The current results, combined with the prior research, underscore the need for prevention programs and departmental policies that: increase the accessibility of mental health services, increase the availability of services for victims of police-involved intimate partner violence, and stress the enforcement of current domestic violence laws. Social implications – Results indicate that domestic violence is still a significant problem in law enforcement personnel, with the potential for lethal consequences. Originality/value – To the authors knowledge, this is only the second study involving a formal analysis of police-involved homicide-suicide cases.

Guidelines for mandated documents

2015 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn Westbrook
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
National Study ◽  
Law Enforcement Agencies ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present findings on the efficacy of documents that US police are required to provide to domestic violence survivors, specifically intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors. Triangulating data from survivors, shelter staff, and law enforcement officers across four stages of IPV experiences, this national study identifies priorities among essential information needs and proposes information guidelines for law enforcement. Design/methodology/approach – A nationally distributed, 13-item, e-mail questionnaire was submitted to a stratified sample (ten largest, median, and smallest) of law enforcement agencies in all 50 states. Domestic violence shelters in each of the 1,500 cities were similarly recruited; survivors were recruited indirectly via shelter staff. The questions were clustered in terms of four common situations. Responses from 839 individuals were obtained, self-identified as police officers (481), shelter staff (263), and IPV survivors (95). Findings – Documents should be formatted for safety (i.e. small), developed for specific situations, and written simply. They should also offer information about non-law enforcement services. All three of the populations queried agreed that the immediate needs of survivors are stronger than their long-term needs. Research limitations/implications – The primary limitations are that the survey could include no means of determining the degree to which the respondents match the sample, and the response rate was insufficient to support inferential statistical analysis. Originality/value – This national study, the first of its kind, explicates the nuances of information elements in the personally situated experiences of survivors, and it presents the first set of suggested law-enforcement document design guidelines.

Role reflections of police reservists: a study of volunteer reserve officers in Malaysia

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 813-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phaik Kin Cheah ◽  
N. Prabha Unnithan ◽  
Suresh Suppiah
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Theory Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Role Orientations ◽  
Grounded Theory Approach ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the work roles of the Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officers.Design/methodology/approachA grounded theory approach was utilized for the generation and analysis of the data. Data were collected through interviews, observations and follow-ups. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 male and female volunteer reserve officers and 5 regular police officers aged between 24 and 58 years of mixed socioeconomic backgrounds, ethnicities and ranking in the Royal Malaysia Police force. Two civilian respondents (spouses of the Police Volunteer Reserve officers) were also interviewed for this study for the purpose of theory sampling.FindingsThe data were analyzed qualitatively resulting in a model of Royal Malaysia Police Volunteer Reserve officer roles consisting of four orientations.Research limitations/implicationsStudy outcomes are discussed theoretically and administratively. The four role orientations identified will assist researchers studying police reserve volunteerism.Practical implicationsStudy outcomes allow administrators to utilize and deploy police reservists in consonance with the four role orientations identified.Social implicationsThis study provides insight into how police reservists conceive of and execute their roles as they negotiate them in relation to the regular police officers they work with and the public from which they are drawn.Originality/valueThis is the first study of police volunteerism in Malaysia.

Politics, Safety, and Officer-Involved Intimate Partner Violence

2019 ◽  
pp. 227-245
Author(s):  
Leigh Goodmark
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
The United States ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Three Dimensions ◽  
Political Decision ◽  
Political Decisions

The United States relies heavily on law enforcement to protect people subjected to intimate partner violence. The decision to prioritize law enforcement intervention may seem natural, but it is, in fact a political decision, with consequences along three dimensions. First, prioritizing the law enforcement response has precluded the development of other policies to address intimate partner violence. Second, channeling money into law enforcement helped to facilitate the growth of a hypermasculine, militarized environment where violence against women flourishes. Third, the decision to rely on law enforcement ignores research establishing that police officers are more likely than other groups to commit intimate partner violence. These political decisions have profound consequences for all people subjected to abuse, particularly the partners of police officers.

A Fraught Pairing

2019 ◽  
pp. 202-224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Nanasi
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
The State ◽  
U Visa

This chapter examines the tensions inherent in the U visa, a form of immigration relief that provides survivors of intimate partner violence a path to lawful status. Receipt of the U visa is contingent upon compulsory and continuing cooperation with law enforcement, which does not reflect the reality of the lives of many survivors of domestic violence, especially immigrant victims, who are uniquely unable, fearful or disinclined to engage with the state. As such, the vulnerabilities the U visa was intended to address are exacerbated and benefits to police and prosecutors are achieved at the expense of the victims Congress sought to protect.

scholarly journals The None in Three Victim Responsiveness Assessment (Ni3: VRA): a new outcome measure for intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention programs

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agata Debowska ◽  
Daniel Boduszek ◽  
Dominic Willmott ◽  
Adele D. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Intimate Partner Violence ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Intimate Partner ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Percent Female

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop and validate the None in Three Victim Responsiveness Assessment (Ni3: VRA) examining affective and cognitive responsiveness toward victims of intimate partner violence. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected at two time points in a sample of 359 young people from Barbados and Grenada (56.27 percent female; M age=12.73 years). Findings Confirmatory factor analysis results indicated that the Ni3: VRA scores are best captured by a two-factor solution, including affective and cognitive dimensions. A test-retest correlation confirmed the reliability of the Ni3: VRA over time. Affective responsiveness formed a significant positive association with caring/cooperative behavior. Originality/value The Ni3: VRA can be used for the evaluation of preventive strategies aimed at reducing the rates of IPV.

scholarly journals Police officers’ experiences as victims of hate crime

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 526-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rob C. Mawby ◽  
Irene Zempi
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Hate Crime ◽  
Police Training ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to fill a research and literature gap by examining the nature and impact of hate crime victimisation on police officers, and their responses to it. The research explores victimisation due to the occupational stigma of policing and the personal characteristics and identities of individual officers.Design/methodology/approachThe research design is qualitative, based on 20 in-depth interviews with police officers in one English police force. Thematic analysis was applied to the data.FindingsAll participants had experienced hate crime arising from their occupational or personal identities. Initially shocked, officers became desensitized and responded in different ways. These include tolerating and accepting hate crime but also challenging it through communication and the force of law.Research limitations/implicationsThis research is based on a small sample. It does not claim to be representative but it is exploratory, aiming to stimulate debate and further research on a contemporary policing issue.Practical implicationsIf further research works were to confirm these findings, there are implications for police training, officer welfare and support, supervision and leadership.Originality/valueThe police occupy a problematic position within hate crime literature and UK legislation. This paper opens up debate on an under-researched area and presents the first published study of the hate crime experiences of police officers.

scholarly journals Anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing threats posed by mobile money

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 158-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Whisker ◽  
Mark Eshwar Lokanan
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Money Laundering ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Global Awareness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mobile Money ◽  
Terrorist Financing ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the various characteristics of mobile money transactions and the threats they present to anti-money laundering (AML) and counter terrorist financing regimes. Design/methodology/approach A thorough literature review was conducted on mobile money transactions and the associated money-laundering and terrorist financing threats. Four key themes were identified in relations to the three stages of money laundering and effective law enforcement. Findings The findings indicate that as money laundering and terrorist financing transactions continue to gravitate towards the weaknesses in the financial system, mobile money provides yet another avenue for criminals to exploit. Risk factors associated with anonymity, elusiveness, rapidity and lack of oversights were all integral considerations in building an effective AML regime. The use of cash is considered a higher threat than mobile money prior to implementation of systems and controls. Practical implications This rapidly changing environment of how individuals manage their money during transactions is set to further explode globally, which poses new problems for regulators and governments alike. Unless there is a unified concentration to heighten global awareness, the imposing threat of mobile money is set to increase at a rapid rate if appropriate actions are not taken. Originality/value The findings from this study can be used to gain greater insights on mobile money transactions and raise further awareness of the ever-increasing threat to global financial integrity.

Improving law enforcement’s response to non-fatal strangulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 1007-1021
Author(s):  
Amy Reckdenwald ◽  
Ketty Fernandez ◽  
Chelsea L. Mandes
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Specific Training ◽  
Law Enforcement Training ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Central Florida ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Effectiveness Of Training ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Florida County

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate a coordinated effort to improve the law enforcement response to non-fatal strangulation in the context of domestic violence. Design/methodology/approach The authors compare law enforcement identification and documentation of strangulation in domestic violence cases before and after the implementation of a strangulation-specific training program in one Central Florida County. Findings The results indicate preliminary support for the effectiveness of training law enforcement, suggesting that the response to strangulation can be improved with comprehensive law enforcement training. Practical implications An improved response by law enforcement may have the potential to increase offender accountability of non-fatal strangulation – a potentially deadly assault. Originality/value The study is the first to evaluate strangulation-specific training efforts of law enforcement. Results point to opportunities that can be taken to improve law enforcement’s response to non-fatal strangulation in domestic violence.

The prevalence and content of police discipline matrices

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 788-804 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Harris ◽  
Kristen Chierus ◽  
Timothy C. Edson
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Police Departments ◽  
Two Phase ◽  
Content Type ◽  
National Surveys ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine the prevalence of the use of discipline matrices across large US police departments, as well as to compare the structure and content of such matrices. Design/methodology/approach – The study employs a two phase approach. Phase I consisted of a brief online survey of a stratified, random sample of police departments with 100 or more sworn police officers and asked about whether or not the agency employed a discipline matrix. Phase II consisted of requesting a copy of the matrix and corresponding materials from all agencies who indicated they employed a matrix, and analyzing the content of those matrices. Findings – In total, 37 percent of responding agencies said they are using or are planning a discipline matrix, and the authors obtained a matrix from 32 police departments. The structure of the matrices and recommended discipline varied widely across these departments, indicating a lack of consensus on the development of this relatively new accountability tool. Research limitations/implications – The survey focussed on large police departments and the response rate was somewhat lower than other past national surveys. Practical implications – Discipline matrices are employed to a greater extent than is implied by the current research literature. The lack of consensus and variability in policies around matrices indicates a need for more research which could contribute toward the formation of a model policy in this regard. Originality/value – To date the prevalence of discipline matrices across US police departments was unknown, and very little was known about how they were structured or what comprised their content.

Perceived organizational support and its interaction with voice on police officers' organizational cynicism, stress and emotional exhaustion

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chelsie J. Smith ◽  
Yu Han ◽  
Kathryne E. Dupré ◽  
Greg J. Sears
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Perceived Organizational Support ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Organizational Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Cynicism ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeAmong a sample of 281 active-duty Canadian police officers, the current study investigated whether perceived organizational support (POS) would predict officers' organizational cynicism, stress and emotional exhaustion three months later. The moderating influence of officer voice on these relationships was also examined.Design/methodology/approachIn collaboration with a large policing organization, online surveys collecting quantitative data and soliciting open-ended comments were administered to officers, with a three-month lag separating survey administrations.FindingsThe results reveal that POS predicted significant variance in each of the investigated outcomes. It was found that voice moderated the association between POS and organizational cynicism, but in a manner that suggests a suboptimal voice climate within the organization. Officers provided open-ended qualitative comments that supported this interpretation.Practical implicationsThe evidence supports that if organizational leaders wish to prevent disadvantageous outcomes such as organizational cynicism, stress, emotional exhaustion and their consequents, then advancing both organizational support and a positive voice climate is recommended.Originality/valueThe results suggest that voice interacts with POS to influence organizational cynicism among police, highlighting the importance of responsiveness to voice for police management, and thus serving as an important bridge between theory and practice.

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