Stress and Law Enforcement - Research Proposal Example

Running Head: Research Proposal Research Proposal [Institute’s TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 BACKGROUND 3 RESEARCH MENT 3 PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW 3 METHODOLOGY 6 Research Plan 7 ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS 8 REFERENCES 9 BACKGROUND Since many decades, humans have divided civilized societies in terms of responsibilities and roles of different groups of people. In particular, this process resulted in the cluster of police officers who now put extensive amount of efforts to ensure security and safety of citizens inside the city and country (Brehm, 1998). It is an observation that members of police department though receive special training, however, they do not come from any special planet, and thus, they behave and act like humans. In particular, police officers have families as well, they go through the same emotional process as other humans do (Goldberger & Breznitz, 1993), and thus, as stress has become one of the most common issues in the current society, police officers are no different, and there have been observations of adverse impact of such on them as well. RESEARCH STATEMENT In this regard, the researcher will focus on the following research statement: “To identify and analyze the factors of stress and their impact on police officers” PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW Brief analysis of literature (Constant, 1991) has indicated that stress has become one of the most common issues in human lives these days, and almost every human is now under the varied impact of stress due to various factors (Monat & Lazaruz, 1991). Experts (Franken, 1994) have specified that different levels of stress influence an individual differently; however, studies have indicated evident impact of stress on neurological, as well as psychological functions of individuals. In addition, stress has nowadays not remained a disease but a normal aspect of humans where every individual confronts and reacts to it in a diverse manner. Literature review has identified the Biopsychosocial Model of Stress (Bernard & Krupat, 1994) that has been very imperative in understanding different aspects of stress, and thus, it will be a part of this preliminary literature review. According to this model, stress exists with its three components: “an external component, an internal component, and the interrelationship between the external and the internal components” (Bernard & Krupat, 1994). Advocates of this model believe that diverse environmental events begins the waves of stress; however, these waves when come in contact with internal component causes a reaction in human body, and the then interrelationship causes different stress levels and diverse impact in individuals (Cannon, 1932). In 1967, psychiatrists from the University of Washington (Holmes & Rahe, 1967) carried out a study to inquire about the impact of stress on causation of illnesses in humans. For this purpose, approximately five thousand patients participated in the study that enabled the researchers to come to forty-three causes of stress (Holmes & Rahe, 1967). However, experts now believe that the causes have jumped up to more than forty-three due to stressful lives of humans in today’s society. When it comes to law enforcement officers, undoubtedly, they face stressful situations more than any other professionals do due to the very nature of a police officer’s job. It has been observations that law enforcement officers although perform duties according to a schedule like other professions. However, unlike other professions, police officers cannot keep their work aside from their daily routines, and a horde of responsibilities always follows police officers at their homes as well that is one of the major causes of higher stress levels in law enforcement officers. One of the major reasons behind higher stress levels is that by becoming a law enforcement officer, the individual not only put his own life in danger but also of his family members and friends that has so far been the most common factors of huge stress levels in police officers. This subsequently affects the performance and effectiveness of their duties (Territo & Sewell, 2007). In addition, though police officers get time for recreation and family, however, reports have indicated that in six out of ten cases, a police officer ends up doing his duty in his time of recreation and family that responsibilities become a part of his family life, and subsequently, gradually causes adverse impact on family life as well. Another tough aspect of a law enforcement officer’s job is hectic and irregular working schedules. A police officer although receives a shift schedule, however, he is never aware of an urgent task that may come in between of a family gathering or sleep. All such aspects gradually increase levels of stress in individuals. Moreover, studies (Miller, 2006) have specified that besides family members, police officers have to confront many problems when they socialize, and many a times, either police officers or the other individuals cut ties to avoid any security-related issues. Thus unlike other professions, police officers often start to feel lonely while performing their responsibilities, and this loneliness frequently causes adverse impact on effectiveness of their jobs. Experts (Miller, 2006) have indicated that “these law enforcement officers or ‘tough guys’ are more than often vulnerable to dreadful occurrences and routinely burdens for which they do not only need to adopt a strong and a watchful attitude but also an effective disposition and training. If they do not possess these qualities, they will most likely fail at their jobs”. In this regard, this fear of failure is the second most common factor that causes higher stress levels in law enforcement personnel, which then affects personal lives as well. Due to above-discussed higher stress levels and adverse impact on professional and public lives of law enforcement officers, there have been notable reports of higher suicide rates in police officers as compared to other professions, which can be associated with the fear of failure and loneliness. At the same time, officers who do not attempt suicide go through a phase of different stressful events and occurrences, and these incidents then cause problems in the families. Unfortunately, besides suicide, divorce is second most common practice in law enforcement officers. It could either be due to hectic schedules that do not allow officers to spend quality time with their family members, and it can be due to the impact of the other factors that cause problems in relationship of a husband and wife. In this regard, analysis of identified literature has shown that spouses and family members can play a considerable role in reducing stress levels of police officers. Thus, it is very important for concerned authorities to provide awareness to new law enforcement officers, as well as their family members that will be beneficial and imperative in avoiding any adverse impact on the professional, as well as private life of law enforcement personnel due to different factors and causes of stress (Territo & Sewell, 2007). METHODOLOGY Researcher has planned to carry out a qualitative study that will be focusing on the police officers and impact of stress & its levels on different aspects of their lives. It is an understanding that as the foremost aim of the proposed research revolves around the role of police officers and impact on their lives, the researcher has decided to go with the qualitative paradigm that will allow a comprehensive understanding of the social issue. Moreover, preliminary literature review has identified a number of scholarly sources that include works of experts and sociologists on the similar aspect of police officers, and thus, these works will be of valuable interest and importance during the proposed research. For this reason, the researcher will be creating fundamental basis of the research by carrying out a secondary research methodology that will be very beneficial in understanding different aspects of the identified research statement. At the same time, secondary research will allow identification of possible gaps that researchers overlooked previously, which will help in adding volume and validity to the proposed research. However, the major objective of the proposed research is not only to identify and analyze available sources but also to understand the impact on individual levels. For this purpose, the researcher will then be focusing on primary research method to focus on particular group of police officers, and then will carry out interviews to understand different factors that cause stress in their lives and their level of impact as well that will be very imperative for the research. In this regard, the proposed research will include both primary, as well as secondary research methodologies that will enable the researcher to acquire findings in the most critical manner. Research Plan # Phases Date Date Date Date Date Date Date Date Date 1 Theoretical Framework 1st week 2 Research Proposal 2nd week 3 Collection of Available Literature 3rd week 4 Analysis of Literature Review 4th week 5 Primary Research 5th-6th week 6 Questionnaires & Interviews 7th week 7 Analysis 8-9th week 8 Rough Draft of Dissertation 10th-11th week 9 Final Submission 12th week ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS It is an understanding that research ethics is an imperative component of every research process, and therefore, during primary research, especially during the interviews and questionnaires, the researcher will ensure absolute confidentiality of participating police officers, and will put efforts to ensure their privacy during the research according to ethical code of conduct of the research. In particular, the researcher will be informing participants about aims and objectives of the proposed study, and it is anticipation that this will ensure truthful participation of police officers and other concerned authorities in the research. REFERENCES Bernard, L. C., & Krupat, E. (1994). Health Psychology: Biopsychosocial Factors in Health and Illness. Harcourt Brace College Publishers. Brehm, B. A. (1998). Stress Management: Increasing Your Stress Resistance. Longman. Cannon, W. B. (1932). The Wisdom of the Body. Norton. Constant, T. (1991). “Not So Obvious Police Stress”. Retrieved on September 17, 2011: www.tearsofacop.com/police/articles Franken, R. E. (1994). Human Motivation, third edition. Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Goldberger, L. & Breznitz, S. (1993). Handbook of Stress: Theoretical and Clinical Aspects. The Free Press Holmes, T. & Rahe, R. (1967). "The Social Readjustment Rating Scale". Journal of Psychosomatic Research. Volume 11, Issue 2, pp.213-218. Miller, L. (2006). “Law Enforcement Traumatic Stress: Clinical Syndromes and Intervention Strategies”. Retrieved on September 17, 2011: www.ncjrs.gov Monat, A. & Lazaruz, R. S. (1991). Stress and Coping. Columbia University Press. Territo, L. & Sewell, J. D. (2007). Stress Management in Law Enforcement. Carolina Academic Press. Read More