Scott E. Wolfe, Jeff Rojek, Geoff Alpert, Hope M. Tiesman and Stephen M. James
The purpose of this paper is to examine the situational and individual officer characteristics of officer-involved vehicle collisions that result in fatality, injury, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine the situational and individual officer characteristics of officer-involved vehicle collisions that result in fatality, injury, and non-injury outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Data on 35,840 vehicle collisions involving law enforcement officers in California occurring between January 2000 and December 2009 are examined. A descriptive analysis of collision characteristics is presented.
Findings
There were 39 officers killed by collisions over this study period and 7,684 officers who received some type injury. Incidents involving officers on motorcycles represented 39 percent of officer fatalities and 39 percent of severe injuries. In the case of fatalities, 33 percent of officers were reported as wearing seatbelts, 38 percent were not wearing a seatbelt, and seatbelt use was not stated in 29 percent of car fatalities.
Research limitations/implications
The findings only represent one state and the analysis is based on an estimated 86 percent of collisions that occurred during the study period due to missing data. Nonetheless, the results are based on a robust sample and address key limitations in the existing literature.
Practical implications
During the study period in California the estimated financial impact of collisions reached into the hundreds of millions of dollars when considering related fatality, injury, and vehicle damage costs combined. These impacts highlight the need for the law enforcement community to give greater attention to this issue.
Originality/value
At the time of this writing there was no published independent research that compares the situational and officer characteristics across fatality, injury, and non-injury outcomes in these events. The findings reported here will help inform emerging interest in this issue within the law enforcement, academic, and policy-making communities.
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Hope M. Tiesman, Rebecca J. Heick, Srinivas Konda and Scott Hendricks
Motor-vehicle-related events (MVEs) are the leading cause of on-duty death for law enforcement officers, yet little is known about how officers view this significant job hazard…
Abstract
Purpose
Motor-vehicle-related events (MVEs) are the leading cause of on-duty death for law enforcement officers, yet little is known about how officers view this significant job hazard. The purpose of this paper is to explore officers’ motor-vehicle risk perception and examine how prior on-duty MVEs and the death or injury of a fellow officer influences this perception.
Design/methodology/approach
A state-wide random sample of 136 law enforcement agencies was drawn using publically accessible databases, stratified on type and size of agency. In total, 60 agencies agreed to participate and a cross-sectional questionnaire was distributed to 1,466 officers. Using six-point Likert scales, composite scores for motor-vehicle and intentional violence risk perception were derived. A linear regression multivariable model was used to examine factors affecting motor-vehicle risk perception.
Findings
Motor-vehicle risk perception scores were significantly higher than intentional violence scores. A prior on-duty motor-vehicle crash, prior roadside incident, or knowledge of fellow officer’s injury or death from a MVE significantly increased motor-vehicle risk perception scores. After controlling for potential confounders though, only prior on-duty crashes and roadside incidents impacted motor-vehicle risk perception.
Research limitations/implications
The study comprised primarily small, rural agencies and generalizability may be limited. Also, although the data were collected anonymously, reporting and response biases may affect these findings.
Originality/value
This study involved a large and diverse cohort of officers and explored motor-vehicle risk perception. A better understanding of officers’ risk perceptions will assist in the development and implementation of occupational injury prevention programs, training, and policy.
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The purpose of this paper is to examine a time trend in newspaper reporting of mental illness in Japan between 1987 and 2014.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine a time trend in newspaper reporting of mental illness in Japan between 1987 and 2014.
Design/methodology/approach
Four high-circulation national newspapers (the Yomiuri newspaper, the Asahi newspaper, the Mainichi newspaper and the Nikkei Newspaper) were selected for analysis. Articles were analysed using qualitative content analysis (n=448).
Findings
Whilst articles concerning the dangerousness of those with mental illness occupied a high proportion of coverage between 1987 and 2014, an overall shift is apparent whereby there is now more reporting of mental illness in relation to stress than in relation to dangerousness, particularly for depression. In contrast, schizophrenia was often reported in the context of violent crime. Information on the treatment, symptoms and prevalence of mental illness was rarely reported.
Social implications
While the nature of newspaper coverage of mental illness has been changing, there still is over-representation of dangerousness of mental illness, particularly of schizophrenia. For improving the public’s images of mental illness, it is hoped to reduce the proportion of reporting about dangerousness and to increase the proportion of reporting about treatment, symptoms and prevalence of mental illness and personal stories of those affected.
Originality/value
The present study is the first to examine changes in Japanese newspaper coverage over time and at the variation in reporting among diagnoses.
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Hjördís Sigursteinsdóttir, Guðbjörg Linda Rafnsdóttir and Thorgerður Einarsdóttir
The recent global economic crisis affected workplaces in many countries, raising questions about the employees' situation. While most work-related studies in times of crises focus…
Abstract
Purpose
The recent global economic crisis affected workplaces in many countries, raising questions about the employees' situation. While most work-related studies in times of crises focus on job loss and unemployment, this study analyzes workplace violence in the wake of the 2008 economic crisis among municipal employees within care and education.
Design/methodology/approach
Mixed method approach was used for data collection; longitudinal online surveys and focus group interviews were used.
Findings
The prevalence of workplace violence increased between the three time points of the study, in particular in downsized workplaces. A higher proportion of employees working in care were exposed to threats and physical violence than employees in education as clients of employees in care services were more likely to lash out against employees due to cutbacks in services. Focus groups interviews indicated that the causes of increased workplace violence may be due to a spreading effect both from within and outside the workplace.
Practical implications
As workplace violence can have serious consequences for the health and well-being of employees, it is important for those who have responsibility for the work environment and occupational health in the workplace to design policies that take these findings into account.
Originality/value
Based on the mixed methods, longitudinal survey and focus group interviews, this study contributes to knowledge on workplace violence in times of economic crises. It shows that the prevalence of workplace violence increased not only directly after the economic collapse but also continued up to five years later.
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Mu He, Jiahui Lu, Juliet Honglei Chen and Kwok Kit Tong
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between spirituality, including religious spirituality (i.e. supernatural beliefs) and secular spirituality (i.e. social beliefs)…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to investigate the relationship between spirituality, including religious spirituality (i.e. supernatural beliefs) and secular spirituality (i.e. social beliefs), and mental health among police trainees.
Design/methodology/approach
Participants in this study were police trainees of a police academy. An online survey was conducted to measure spirituality and mental health among these police trainees. The association between spirituality and mental health was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression and hierarchical logistic regression with demographic variables (i.e. gender and age) controlled for.
Findings
The results revealed that the police trainees with stronger secular spirituality tended to have better general mental health. Higher levels of secular spirituality were significantly associated with lower levels of mental illness risk and suicidal ideation. By contrast, religious spirituality was not significantly related to police trainees' mental health.
Originality/value
The present study is the first to empirically investigate the relationship between spirituality and mental health among police trainees. The findings may be enlightening for future research on the mental health of police officers and trainees, and provide novel perspectives and pragmatic implications for the development of spirituality-based prevention strategies and intervention programs for enhancing the mental health and well-being of the police.
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This study aims to investigate the impact of working from home and its duration on job satisfaction.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the impact of working from home and its duration on job satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
The analysis was conducted on a representative panel data set from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey - Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE) for 2016–2021 using endogenous regression models. The impact of working from home on job satisfaction before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and separately for men and women, was analysed.
Findings
Working from home was found to positively affect job satisfaction in the Russian labour market. From 2016 to 2021, men and women who worked from home were more satisfied with their jobs than their counterparts who did not work from home. The positive impact of working from home on job satisfaction was observed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, remote workers (RWR) putting in more than eight hours per day reported lower job satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
Working from home can be considered as a measure to combat unemployment, increase employment and improve the utilisation (distribution) of human resources. Further research is required to analyse the impact of health issues and the need to care for young children or infirm persons on job satisfaction in remote work. A more detailed analysis is required of the factors that affect the job satisfaction of women who work remotely.
Practical implications
To ensure that labour productivity increases and not decreases, employers are advised to develop more detailed working arrangements and labour management for RWRs. Especially for such assigned workers, task control regulations must be developed. To increase the motivation of individuals to work remotely, overtime should be paid at a higher rate.
Social implications
Unclear working time regulations lead to overwork, irregular working hours and burnout. For RWRs, this leads to lower job satisfaction and a consequent drop in productivity.
Originality/value
The empirical investigation is based on a representative panel of Russian data with six waves. Wide ranges of job characteristics were incorporated as determinants. The problem of causality was investigated. For models with an endogenous regressor, instrumental variables were tested and selected.
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Norberth Okros and Delia Virga
Based on the socially embedded model of thriving at work and using the conservation of resources and job demands-resources theories, this study aims to examine the mediating role…
Abstract
Purpose
Based on the socially embedded model of thriving at work and using the conservation of resources and job demands-resources theories, this study aims to examine the mediating role of thriving at work, as a personal resource, in the relationship between workplace safety, as job resource, and well-being.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors used structural equation modeling to test the mediation model on a sample of 350 correctional officers.
Findings
The results provided support to the authors' model. The authors found that workplace safety is positively linked to job satisfaction and negatively to health complaints, and these relationships are partially mediated by thriving at work. Consistent with the conservation of resources theory, thriving at the workplace is a mechanism that translates the positive effect of workplace safety on well-being.
Originality/value
The contribution of this research resides that a safe work environment leads to improved health and job satisfaction via thriving at work because thriving correctional officers feel energetic and able to acquire and apply knowledge and skills at workplace.