Book Review: Death Work: Police, Trauma and the Psychology of Survival
| DOI | 10.1350/ijps.7.1.62.63491 |
| Date | 01 March 2005 |
| Published date | 01 March 2005 |
| Subject Matter | Book Review |
Book review
Death Work: Police, Trauma and the
Psychology of Survival
by Vincent E. Henry
(Oxford University Press. Oxford: 2004: ISBN 0–19–515765–6; hardback; £29.99)
With the exception of one chapter, Death
death are potent reminders of our own
Work is a volume that holds little new or
mortality [with] important psychological
surprising for veteran officers. That does
consequences’. Foregoing any claim to
not, however, mean the book is without
impartiality, Henry then combines research,
merit. Vincent Henry’s work will be helpful
interviews, observations and his own
for those outside policing — academics
experiences to conclude that ‘unique psy-
investigating sociological and psychological
chological and sociological transformations
effects of dealing with death — or those
result from the police officer’s encounters
inside policing seeking to attach formal
with death’.
knowledge to what they have learned
Henry divides his research officers into
implicitly on the job. It seems clear that
five categories: rookies, patrol sergeants,
efforts to establish psychological debriefing
crime-scene detectives, homicide detec-
and support for emergency workers would
tives, and police survivors. The results are an
find arguments for their cause in Death
interesting, if somewhat predictable and
Work.
narrow, glimpse into the effects on officers
Based more on experiences of men and
with differing professional roles and respon-
women of the NYPD than policing at large,
sibilities. Experienced members of the
Death Work spends all but 34 pages present-
police profession — especially veteran offi-
ing an academic (perhaps the author’s doc-
cers of large police departments (at least in
toral thesis?) view of how officers hold up
the United States), will be familiar with
in the face of mortality. Drawing on
research completed before 11 September
effects and coping behaviours documented
2001,...
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