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Article
Publication date: 6 May 2020

Shannon Harper, Angela Gover, Samara McPhedran and Paul Mazerolle

Comparative research provides a mechanism to understand how justice systems throughout the world operate. McPhedran et al. (2017) conducted a comparative examination of police…

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Abstract

Purpose

Comparative research provides a mechanism to understand how justice systems throughout the world operate. McPhedran et al. (2017) conducted a comparative examination of police officer attitudes about domestic violence (DV) in the USA and Australia and reported fairly high levels of agreement among male and female officers within each country. The current study builds on these findings by examining officer attitudes toward DV among male and female officers cross-nationally. This was accomplished by examining whether American and Australian male and female officers agree with one another on a number of DV issues.

Design/methodology/approach

Two-way ANOVA was used to examine the effect of two factors (gender and country) on law enforcement officer attitudes about DV.

Findings

The results suggest that male and female officers from the USA and Australia significantly differ on 14 of 24 attitudes about DV with the greatest number of attitudinal differences found between American and Australian male officers.

Research limitations/implications

Scholars who conduct future research examining police officer attitudes about DV should use the instrument from this study as a springboard to develop an updated survey in terms of content and one that would be applicable to cross-national analyses. Methodological study limitations are described in depth in McPhedran et al. (2017).

Originality/value

While gender differences in attitudes have received scholarly attention, questions remain regarding the degree to which attitudes align among male and female officers across different countries. The current study seeks to fill these gaps in knowledge by examining attitudes about DV between American and Australian law enforcement officers.

Details

Policing: An International Journal, vol. 43 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

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Article
Publication date: 15 May 2017

Samara McPhedran, Angela R. Gover and Paul Mazerolle

The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first goal is to conduct a cross-national examination of law enforcement officer attitudes about domestic violence (DV) by comparing…

3509

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first goal is to conduct a cross-national examination of law enforcement officer attitudes about domestic violence (DV) by comparing officer attitudes in the USA to officer attitudes in Australia. The second goal is to examine law enforcement officer attitudes about DV using a gender lens to identify whether patterns in attitudes among male and female officers in the USA are similar to those among Australian male and female law enforcement officers.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study involves a comparative analysis of DV attitudes in two different countries (the USA and Australia). Officers in the USA were asked to indicate their level agreement with 28 attitudinal statements about DV. The Australian survey adapted the Gover et al. (2011) instrument by including 24 of the 28 attitudinal statements. The survey followed a mixed-methods design with both quantitative and qualitative components. Bivariate analyses were conducted to determine whether attitudes varied by country and gender of the responding officers. Analyses of attitudinal questions and categorical variables (e.g. gender) were conducted using t-tests.

Findings

According to survey data gathered from police officers in Colorado (USA) and Queensland (Australia), male and female officer attitudes within each country are more similar than different. When comparing the overall sample of American officer attitudes to Australian officer attitudes, they significantly differ about half the time.

Research limitations/implications

The Australian survey had a considerably low response rate, and therefore it cannot be stated with certainty whether the responses given are truly representative of the views of Australian officers as a whole, although the demographic characteristics of the sample were comparable with the overall police population demographics. Another limitation is that not all demographic and background variables were collected by both surveys. For example, the US survey asked about officers’ ethnicity, while the Australian survey did not, and the Australian survey asked about how many DV jobs officers attended per month, while the US survey did not.

Practical implications

Improving knowledge about police attitudes towards DV can help to inform future policy or practice implementation, as well as training programmes and better overall responses to the pervasive and ongoing problem of DV internationally.

Originality/value

This is a unique and original piece of research as it is a partial cross-national replication of an existing survey. This work does have the potential for great impact in understanding and developing innovative law enforcement responses to DV. In developing such responses officer attitudes need to be considered and integrated into the response, as their opinions will guide the support of future interventions.

Details

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 40 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

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Article
Publication date: 21 October 2013

Samara McPhedran and Diego De Leo

International evidence demonstrates elevated suicide rates among farming occupations, relative to other occupations. A psychosocial factor commonly argued to contribute to farmer…

1903

Abstract

Purpose

International evidence demonstrates elevated suicide rates among farming occupations, relative to other occupations. A psychosocial factor commonly argued to contribute to farmer suicide is social isolation and lack of social support, which in turn may indicate a need for policies and programs to support farmers' social participation and connectedness with others. However, there has been very little empirical investigation of perceived levels of social connectedness and social participation among farmers. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a cross-section of a nationally representative dataset, the Household, Income, and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. This enabled quantification of Australian farmers' self-reported levels of social connectedness and social participation, relative to rural adult males in other occupations.

Findings

Levels of perceived social support and social participation among farmers were approximately equivalent to social support and social participation among rural men in other occupations.

Research limitations/implications

Possible mediating variables, such as influences of social support on mental health, were not examined in this study. However, these findings nonetheless suggest the assumption that social isolation is higher among farmers requires careful consideration.

Originality/value

This is the first study that quantifies social support and social participation among farmers, using a comparative approach.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 33 no. 11/12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

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