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ABSTRACT
Given the potential of severe retaliation for whistle-blowing, what makes police officers choose to report the misconduct of their colleagues? This paper provides a comprehensive overview of whistle-blowing in American police agencies. The first section of the paper covers data regarding the purposes and prevalence of the code of silence and whistle-blowing in law enforcement, as well as the prevalence and types of retaliation for whistle-blowing. The second section of the paper provides a detailed review and critique of research regarding factors associated with whistle-blowing, and presents two empirically supported theories that explain the process of whistle-blowing. The paper concludes with recommendations regarding future research and a discussion of policies that could be employed to increase whistle-blowing in police agencies.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
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Notes on contributors
Kim L. Krinsky
Kim L. Krinsky received her doctoral degree in clinical psychology from Emory University. She also earned a Master of Arts degree in clinical psychology from Emory and a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from Cornell University. She is currently working toward a Master of Science degree in criminal justice at the University of North Georgia. Dr Krinsky is a tenured professor of psychology at Perimeter College of Georgia State University, and also operates an independent psychological practice at which she sees clients for psychotherapy and assessment. Her research interests center on the intersection of psychology and criminal justice.