Citation

Elntib S, Milincic D. J. Police Crim. Psychol. 2021; 36(2): 211-219.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11896-020-09396-w

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study investigated the motives to work for the Police focusing on the differences between recruits from developing and developed countries. Age and year recruited were also accessed to ascertain whether they can account for variance in motives. A total of 233 participants from 28 countries, of which 70 were female, were recruited from active (N = 82) or former (N = 151) Police officers (mean age = 37.65, SD = 8.76, range = 20-62). Of the 28 countries, 16 were classified as developing and 12 as developed by the United Nations classification guide. An adapted 14-item survey was used based on the original scale developed by Lester (1983) listing respectively different reasons for joining the police. Participants from developing countries scored higher motives related to job availability and benefits, helping family and friends, and family influence than those from developed countries. The age recruited was negatively associated with social-capital and family influence motives and positively associated with job availability and benefits-driven motives. Those recruited more recently were more likely to score highly motives related to job availability and benefits motives. The study extended the scope of past research by recruiting a diverse sample of (former) policemen from several countries to offer a more comprehensive snapshot of the factors affecting motives.

Language: en