Predictors of punitive attitudes among police officers
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-04-2015-0025 |
| Published date | 08 February 2016 |
| Pages | 76-86 |
| Date | 08 February 2016 |
| Author | Noreen Shafiq,Ioan M. Ohlsson,Paul Mathias |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice |
Predictors of punitive attitudes among
police officers
Noreen Shafiq, Ioan M. Ohlsson and Paul Mathias
Noreen Shafiq is based at
Faculty of Health and Life
Sciences, Coventry University,
Coventry, UK and
Coventry and Warwickshire
Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Services, CAMHS, UK.
Ioan M. Ohlsson is based at
School of Psychology,
Universityof Central Lancashire,
Lancashire, UK and Coastal
Child and Adult Therapeutic
Services, CCATS, UK.
Paul Mathias is based at Paul
Mathias Associates, UK.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to investigate the predictors of punitive attitudes towards young
offenders among police officers. This included an examination of variables such as officers’coping styles,
mental health, rank and age. It was predicted that indirect coping styles, mental health difficulties, higher age
and higher rank would negatively impact on punitive attitudes towards young offenders. Officers reporting
direct coping strategies, low levels of mental health difficulties, lower rank and lower age were expected to
have less punitive and more rehabilitative attitudes towards young offenders.
Design/methodology/approach –A sample of 83 police officers and community support officers from the
UK completed standardised self-report measures.
Findings –Indirect coping strategies, high levels of mental health difficulties and high rank were all
associated with more punitive attitudes, whilst age had no impact.
Research limitations/implications –Results are discussed with regard to their research and real world
implications. These include an impact of these findings on the job performance, community safety,
approaches to policing, and the well-being of police officers. The importance of mental well-being, direct
coping and positive attitudes towards young offenders is indicated in order for police officers to employ more
proactive, consistent and fair behaviour with this group, leading to less punitive outcomes for young
offenders, as well as improved police-youth relations.
Originality/value –The research findings link mental health, coping styles and rank to officers’attitudes
towards young offenders, which had not been fully examined in the literature previously. Results suggest that
mental well-being and direct coping styles may serve as a protective factor against the development of
punitive attitudes. This highlights the importance of providing support for mental well-being, as well as training
in the areas of effective coping styles and issues surrounding young offenders.
Keywords Mental health, Policing, Young offenders, Police officers, Coping, Police-youth relations,
Punitive attitudes towards offenders
Paper type Research paper
In the psychological literature attitudes are defined as enduring patterns of cognitions, feelings
and behavioural tendencies towards an event, object or individual group (Hogg and Vaughan,
2005). Research has shown that attitudes can underlie and influence a range of human
behaviours (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980; Ajzen, 1991; Hayes, 2013). Differences between the
attitudes of professionals in the criminal justice system have been identified (Fielding and Fielding,
1991; Young et al., 2009). For instance, some police officers were found to have more punitive
and authoritarian approaches to dealing with young offenders compared to other justice
professionals or the general public (Chen and Einat, 2014; Parker et al., 2004).
In particular among some police officers’punitive attitudes, such as preferring custodial
sentences for young offenders, were found to impact on their approaches to working with such
offenders. For instance, Parker et al. (2004) found police officers who reported more punitive
views towards young offenders were more likely to use non-diversionary behaviour with them,
such as arresting the young person. In contrast, officers who had more empathic attitudes
Received 21 April 2015
Revised 29 June 2015
13 July 2015
Accepted 13 July 2015
PAG E 76
j
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
j
VOL. 18 NO. 1 2016, pp. 76-86, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794 DOI 10.1108/JFP-04-2015-0025
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