Racial variations in work-related stress among police officers

Abstract

This study examines racial variations in the experience of police department norms and culture. Using the data set Police Stress and Domestic Violence in Police Families in Baltimore, Maryland (1997-1999), results show that White and Black officers describe sources of work-related stress differently. Whites focus on issues related to the institutional culture, whereas Blacks described problems in terms of personal mistreatment. There are no differences related to critical incident stress, and the two groups do not different dramatically in how work-related stress is manifest and perceived.

Keywords:

• Organizational stress
• police stress
• race

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gary R. Repasky

Gary Repasky recently completed his master's degree in Criminal Justice from Youngstown State University in Ohio. This analysis was started as a student thesis project.

Richard Lee Rogers

Richard Lee Rogers is an Associate Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator in the Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at Youngstown State University and Continuing Faculty in the School of Human Services at Walden University. Areas of research include social and religious movements, management, and social problems. Publications include articles in Journal of Police and Criminal Psychology, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, and Race/Ethnicity: Multidisciplinary Global Contexts. Rogers holds a B.A. and Ph.D. in Sociology.

Christopher Bellas

Christopher M. Bellas is an Associate Professor and Graduate Studies Coordinator in the Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at Youngstown State University in Ohio. Areas of research primarily centers on juries and the death penalty. Publications include a focus on legal issues involving the Fourth Amendment in the journal Homeland Security Review, as well as authored or co-authored book chapters on topics related to law and society. Bellas holds a B.A. and M.A. in Political Science, M.S. in Criminal Justice and Ph.D. in Political Science.

Gordon Frissora

Gordon M. Frissora is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences at Youngstown State University in Ohio and a retired municipal police officer from Pennsylvania. Areas of interest involve policing, amateur radio, complex organizations, computer crime, and computer security. Frissora holds a B.A. from Mercyhurst University, a M.S. from Youngstown State University, and a Ph.D. in sociology from Kent State University.