Deck 4: Psychology of Police

Question 1

Test batteries used in the selection of police officers typically involve

A)tests of cognitive ability.
B)intelligence tests.
C)tests of personality traits.
D)all of the above

Answer 1

all of the above

Question 2

Intelligence tests tend to correlate _________________ with the performance of police recruits in the police academy; intelligence tests tend to correlate _____________ with actual police performance in the field.

A)strongly; strongly
B)weakly; weakly
C)strongly; weakly
D)weakly; strongly

Answer 2

strongly; weakly

Question 3

What are common problems encountered by those who wish to conduct research on the validity of police screening?

A)Applicants try to present themselves in a positive light.
B)Applicants who do poorly on screening evaluations are eliminated from the pool of applicants so one cannot evaluate whether predictions of poor
Performance would have been valid.
C)Testing actual police performance in the field is time-consuming and expensive.
D)all of the above

Answer 3

all of the above

Question 4

The most often used test of personality in police screening is the

A)Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory.
B)California Psychological Inventory.
C)Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire.
D)Inwald Personality Inventory.

Question 5

Why are situational tests only used by a small minority of police departments in screening police candidates?

A)They are expensive.
B)They are time consuming.
C)both A and B
D)none of the above

Question 6

A police officer who can handle multiple stressful responsibilities without becoming seriously affected by the stress would be considered

A)free of overly emotional reactions.
B)well-adjusted.
C)Incorruptible.
D)people-oriented.

Question 7

The most widely employed assessment tool for selecting police officers is

A)the Foot Patrol Observation Test.
B)the interview.
C)the MMPI.
D)the Clues Test.

Question 8

Generally speaking, courts

A)have upheld the legality of psychological screening of police candidates.
B)have ruled that psychological screening of police candidates violates civil rights acts.
C)have not considered the legality of psychological screening of police candidates.
D)have ruled that psychological screening of police candidates must focus on eliminating individuals who appear least suited for police work and not
Focus on choosing candidates deemed most psychologically fit.

Question 9

Police officer candidates' level of dedication and commitment to their job may be questioned if he or she has a history of

A)absenteeism.
B)excessive lateness.
C)personal problems interfering with work.
D)all of the above

Question 10

Which approach for fitness-for-duty evaluations is recommended by the International Association for Chiefs of Police?

A)A psychologist can perform the fitness-for-duty evaluation, but a psychiatrist must provide the needed treatment.
B)Psychiatrists (not psychologists) must perform both the fitness-for-duty evaluation and provide the needed treatment.
C)The psychologist who performs the fitness-for-duty evaluation also provides the needed treatment.
D)The psychologist who performs the fitness-for-duty evaluation does not provide any treatment (an additional mental health professional provides
The treatment).

Question 11

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2010, the rate of violent crime was about ____________, while the rate of property crime was approximately ________.

A)9%; 2%
B)6.5%; 3%
C)13%; 3%
D)6.5% 2%

Question 12

Which of the following is not one of the characteristics stated in Chapter 4 as a psychological quality desirable for police officers?

A)incorruptible
B)well-adjusted
C)logical
D)authoritative

Question 13

According to Chapter 4, which psychological test attempts to detect deception in test-takers (i.e., find those who try to fake good)?

A)Inwald
B)MMPI
C)Clues Test
D)both A and B

Question 14

The Inwald Personality Inventory was designed specifically to

A)identify psychologically unsuitable law enforcement candidates.
B)identify psychologically suitable law enforcement candidates.
C)predict whether someone would make a good detective.
D)work in conjunction with the MMPI.

Question 15

To succeed in their jobs, police officers must have

A)good discretion.
B)physical ability.
C)interpersonal skills.
D)all of the above

Question 16

In 1917, Lewis Terman recommended that no one with an IQ below _____ be accepted as police or firefighters.

A)70
B)80
C)90
D)100

Question 17

There is evidence that reliability in testing is increased by the

A)use of structured interviews.
B)use of intelligence testing.
C)inclusion of role play procedures.
D)use of personality testing.

Question 18

Which of the following tests consists of 26 scales that tap past and present behaviors presumed to have special relevance for law enforcement?

A)Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
B)Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire
C)California Psychological Inventory
D)Inwald Personality Inventory

Question 19

Psychological screening of police candidates assesses

A)psychopathology that may interfere with officers' abilities to perform their duties.
B)officers' attitudes toward other races.
C)both A and B
D)none of the above

Question 20

Interviews are commonly used in the evaluation of police candidates although their reliability has been questioned.Reliability refers to

A)the skill of the interviewer.
B)the degree to which information from the interview is related to relevant criteria.
C)the extent to which repeated interviews yield the same information.
D)none of the above

Question 21

Approximately ______ of domestic violence incidences involve alcohol or drugs.

A)10%
B)25%
C)30%
D)50%

Question 22

Which of the following factors are associated with the risk of family violence?

A)Unemployment
B)Alcohol use
C)Limited social supports
D)All of the above

Question 23

The police officers trained in crisis intervention

A)reported feeling better prepared for their encounters with individuals with mental illnesses.
B)found that they felt more prepared to arrest individuals with mental illnesses than they had previously.
C)were no longer surprised when victims developed the Stockholm Syndrome.
D)were no longer concerned with the prevalence of police brutality.

Question 24

Carey has a history of mental illness and recently was arrested for committing a crime.Instead of sending her to jail, a decision was made to release Carey into her community so that she can get access to treatment and support services.The fact that Carey was released into the community instead of going to jail means that Carey was part of a

A)prison release program.
B)jail diversion program.
C)mental rehabilitation program.
D)bail out of jail program.

Question 25

In hostage related incidents, the perpetrator used a barricade to separate himself and his hostages from police in approximately _________ of the incidents.

A)10%
B)25%
C)30%
D)55%

Question 26

In the Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment, which strategy resulted in the greatest reduction of subsequent offenses?

A)referral of the whole family to a crisis clinic
B)ordering one of the parties to leave the residence
C)trained intervention (but not arrests) by police
D)arresting the batterer

Question 27

The prevalence of mental illness in incarcerated populations is estimated to be quite high.For example, when examining this issue in New York and Maryland jails, Steadman and colleagues (2009) found that ____________ of male inmates and ______________ of female inmates present with severe mental illness.

A)35%; 20%
B)31; 14.5%
C)14.5%; 31%
D)21%; 40%

Question 28

A criticism of police training discussed in Chapter 4 is that

A)departments are more concerned about not being sued than properly training officers.
B)it's too difficult to graduate from the training programs.
C)it's too easy to graduate from the training programs.
D)minorities are treated more harshly and so are more likely to drop out.

Question 29

Which of the following is not identified in Chapter 4 as a type of hostage situation?

A)The hostage taker is a terrorist with political motivations.
B)The hostage taker wants money.
C)The hostage taker has a mental disorder.
D)The hostage taker, caught in the act of a crime, uses the hostages to bargain for freedom.

Question 30

Which of the following is not true?

A)As much as half of the incidents of domestic violence involve alcohol or drugs.
B)Family violence and abuse is more common among those with lower socioeconomic status.
C)Women are as likely as men to be violent toward their partners.
D)Family violence is only committed by mentally disturbed or sick people.

Question 31

Skeem and Bibeau (2008) found that the use of crisis intervention team programs resulted in

A)officers being inclined to use low-lethality force.
B)an increase in arrests.
C)an increase in costs over that which was expected.
D)none of the above

Question 32

One review of recent studies suggested that the rate of domestic violence was

A)greater in male family members.
B)greater in female family members.
C)comparable between male and female family members.
D)none of the above

Question 33

Shirley has been in an abusive relationship for 12 years.Her husband frequently hits her, often after little or no provocation.Shirley has been enduring this violence for so long that she has come to believe that she probably deserves the beatings.Her best friend has seen the bruises and has told her to leave her husband, but Shirley believes that leaving would be futile.Shirley could be said to be experiencing

A)the blaming the victim phenomenon.
B)anomie.
C)learned helplessness.
D)enduring family violence syndrome.

Question 34

As of 2010, it was estimated that ____________ of violent offenses in the U.S.were perpetrated by persons related to or known by the victim.

A)39%
B)61%
C)25%
D)75%

Question 35

Lenore Walker proposed that women who endure repeated family violence feel as though they can't protect themselves, and can't do anything to change their situation.These women could be said to be experiencing

A)the blaming the victim phenomenon.
B)anomie.
C)learned helplessness.
D)enduring family violence syndrome.

Question 36

It has been estimated that police are responsible for up to ___________ of all mental-health referrals to hospital emergency rooms.

A)one-fourth
B)one-third
C)one half
D)three-fourths

Question 37

In studying domestic violence, Bard found that

A)a major proportion of domestic disturbance calls involved at least one person who was intoxicated.
B)husbands are much more likely than wives to use violence to resolve differences.
C)extensive training in dealing with domestic violence decreases instances of assault.
D)wives are more likely than husbands to use violence to resolve differences.

Question 38

Clinicians performing fitness-for-duty evaluations for police officers must often reconcile the conflict between

A)sharing evaluation results with the department and maintaining officer confidentiality.
B)protecting the public and officers' employment rights.
C)officers' right to refuse evaluation and department's need for officers who can perform their jobs safely.
D)none of the above

Question 39

Research by sociologist Linda Teplin revealed that, for comparable nontraffic encounters, police were more likely to

A)arrest an adult, but give a warning to an adolescent.
B)arrest someone who was disrespectful.
C)arrest someone who appeared to be legally intoxicated.
D)arrest someone who appeared to be mentally ill.

Question 40

The "Memphis Model" for crisis intervention is concerned with

A)working with a psychologist for hostage negotiation.
B)increasing officer and consumer safety while attempting to redirect those with mental illness from the judicial system to the mental health system.
C)alleviating the problem of police stress before an officer attempts suicide.
D)how communities can best work with police officers to halt the current trend of criminal activity.

Question 41

Successful hostage negotiators

A)isolate hostage takers from outside sources of communication.
B)are non-threatening in their contacts with hostage takers.
C)have increased and sustained conversations with hostage takers.
D)all of the above

Question 42

Theo was recently arrested in a large city for loitering (a sign outside the place he was standing said, "No loitering" and he was clearly in violation of this).Arresting someone for such a minor offense is in line with what kind of policy?

A)"zero tolerance"
B)"a clean sweep of the street"
C)"take control of the street"
D)"take back the night"

Question 43

The term for the phenomenon by which hostages come to feel positively about their captors is called

A)the "just world" phenomenon.
B)the hostage association phenomenon.
C)criterial behavior.
D)Stockholm syndrome.

Question 44

Butler, Leitenberg and Fuselier (1993) have found that including a psychologist in a hostage negotiation team resulted in

A)fewer injuries and deaths to hostages.
B)more peaceful surrenders by the hostage takers.
C)both A and B
D)none of the above

Question 45

A police officer that is callous to crime victims is showing the ______________ commonly found in those experiencing burnout.

A)emotional exhaustion
B)depersonalization
C)reduced personal accomplishment
D)seven-year-syndrome

Question 46

Which of the following has been associated with increases in burnout?

A)lack of rewards
B)lack of control over job demands
C)lack of clear job expectations
D)all of the above

Question 47

Clifford has been a member of the police department for seven years.He no longer feels that his job is interesting, and he feels like he doesn't get support or acknowledgment from his supervisors.The situation that Clifford is in suggests that it is likely that he is experiencing

A)Stockholm syndrome.
B)enthusiasm loss syndrome.
C)the stale job syndrome.
D)burnout.

Question 48

Team policing is characterized by

A)having police officers patrol in pairs to decrease the chance of physical attack.
B)having police officers work more closely with store owners in their neighborhoods.
C)shifting decision making from a centralized authority to front-line officers.
D)all of the above

Question 49

Police officers who need to obtain mental health treatment sometimes do not seek treatment because they are afraid that they would be viewed as not up to doing their job.According to information provided in Chapter 4, one possible way to reduce this problem is to

A)provide routine mental health checks for all officers.
B)provide mandatory weekly group counseling sessions for all officers.
C)offer mental health services through a peer counseling program.
D)none of the above

Question 50

Police counseling services are usually offered in-house or offered by an outside psychologist.Chapter 4 presents a possible advantage of using an outside psychologist; what is this advantage?

A)An outside officer is usually a Ph.D., while an in-house therapist is typically a master's level therapist.
B)An outside psychologist may be better able to protect the confidentiality of the officer.
C)An outside psychologist typically has more experience than an in-house psychologist.
D)There is a shorter wait to get an appointment with an outside psychologist.

Question 51

Police officers often experience stress related to the "life in a fishbowl" phenomenon which refers to

A)feeling isolated from family and peers due the hours and demands of the job.
B)building inappropriate attachments to their fellow officers.
C)being constantly in the public eye and having their behavior evaluated.
D)being forced into early retirement due to burn out.

Question 52

The Bill of Rights

A)is a part of the Declaration of Independence.
B)is a collection of Supreme Court decisions dealing with 13 individual rights.
C)is the term for the first ten amendments to the U.S.Constitution.
D)is Amendments 1-10 plus Amendment 14 to the U.S.Constitution.

Question 53

According to one study, during the first five years of service, police officers reported being at greater risk for

A)increased anxiety.
B)alcohol abuse.
C)neither A or B
D)both A and B

Question 54

Project Shield, a large study from the National Institute of Justice, asked officers to respond to a series of questions about the negative effects of the stress that they experience.They found that approximately _______ percent of officers reported having thought about committing suicide.

A)one
B)five
C)ten
D)twenty

Question 55

The police have just received a call that a group with a political agenda is threatening to release dangerous bacteria into the subway unless the police meet their demands.This threat is an example of

A)chemiterrorism.
B)bioterrorism.
C)subversive terrorism.
D)the government demand technique.

Question 56

Which of the following factors associated with burnout tends to be more likely to affect the police officer's behavior at home?

A)emotional exhaustion
B)depersonalization
C)reduced personal accomplishment
D)seven-year syndrome

Question 57

A study of officers who had been in a shooting incident (in many cases someone had been killed) found that, after the incident, almost half of the officers experienced

A)difficulty sleeping.
B)feelings of isolation.
C)feeling angry.
D)all of the above

Question 58

A victim-precipitated death that occurs when the police are forced to kill a hostage taker is commonly referred to as

A)entrapment.
B)suicide by cop.
C)negligent homicide.
D)none of the above

Question 59

Roger is a police officer in New York, and one day, while watching for speeders, his radar indicated that a black Lincoln Continental with the license plate NY-2 was going 70 mph when the speed limit was 50 mph.Roger decided to ignore this car.According to Chapter 4, Roger's inaction is an indication of

A)the police department's general level of lethargy.
B)the police department's general level of apathy.
C)the fact that New York doesn't have a quota system for speeding tickets.
D)how police tend to treat politically powerful figures.

Question 60

A study of the duties of a police officer showed that one activity was conducted more frequently than others.Which of the following is the most frequently conducted activity?

A)crime fighting
B)maintaining order
C)detective work
D)providing services

Question 61

Citizens' groups have become increasingly critical of the police.According to Chapter 4, what are the two types of concerns?

A)how the police perform certain duties (e.g., interrogations); prevalence of police brutality
B)alleviating the "life in a fishbowl" phenomenon; prevalence of police brutality
C)police make too many arrests; alleviating the "life in a fishbowl" phenomenon
D)police do not work enough with the community; police make too many arrests

Question 62

Family violence and abuse is more common among those with lower socioeconomic status.

Question 63

Recent research suggests that women are as likely as men to be violent toward their partners.

Question 64

Community-based policing activities have played a larger role in law enforcement
across the country in recent years.

Question 65

In the 1980s, 25 states required psychological screening of police officer candidates.

Question 66

Which amendment to the U.S.Constitution grants defendants the right to a speedy and public trial?

A)1st
B)4th
C)5th
D)6th

Question 67

More than half of all hostage incidents involve persons suffering a mental disorder or experiencing serious personal or family problems.

Question 68

Which amendment to the U.S.Constitution protects citizens from unreasonable search and seizure?

A)1st
B)4th
C)5th
D)6th

Question 69

The presence of mental illness has been found to decrease the probability of arrest.

Question 70

The case of Tennessee v.Garner (1985) struck down a Tennessee law that allowed

A)police officers to shoot to kill an unarmed suspect fleeing a crime scene.
B)police officers to work more than 16 hours in one day.
C)police officers to refuse to testify against other police officers.
D)spouses to patrol together as police officers.

Question 71

Many cities require police officer candidates to complete 6 months of full time
training.

Question 72

In the U.S., more police officers die as a result of homicide than suicide.

Question 73

When researchers questioned community residents about the effects of community-based policing, they found that these residents

A)showed less fear of crime than those in neighborhoods with traditional policing.
B)had stronger feelings of attachment to the community than those in neighborhoods with traditional policing.
C)made more self-protection efforts.
D)all of the above

Question 74

Protection against "cruel and unusual punishment" is promised by which amendment to the U.S.Constitution?

A)4th
B)5th
C)6th
D)8th

Question 75

What percentage of police departments use some form of community-based policing?

A)15%
B)35%
C)55%
D)66%

Question 76

Psychological evaluation of police candidates can identify the ideal candidates for the job.

Question 77

Deinstitutionalization has lead to increased contact between the mentally ill, law
enforcement, and the criminal justice system.