U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Self-control and the Police Code of Silence: Examining the Unwillingness to Report Fellow Officers Misbehavior among a multi-agency sample of police recruits
NCJ Number
              253476
Journal

*Journal of Criminal Justice* Volume: 56 Dated: May-June 2018 Pages: 11-19
Author(s)
          Christopher M. Donner;
                        Jon Maskaly;
                        Kanani N. Thompson
Date Published

June 2018
Length
              9 pages
Annotation
              Although research has established that low self-control is significantly related to harmful police behavior,  the authors believe this is the first study of which they are aware that has investigated the relationship between self-control and adherence to the police code of silence.
Abstract
              Structural equation modeling was used to test the theoretical causal sequence linking self-control to the unwillingness of a police officer to report fellow officers' misbehavior among a multi-agency sample of 1,072 police recruits, while controlling for other factors associated with misconduct. Although the data provide some support for the general theory of crime, the findings suggest that attempting to explain police adherence to the code of silence is complex and multifaceted. Impulsivity/temper was the only self-control variable of the three tested to demonstrate a significant effect. Several other variables, including job satisfaction and cynicism, also significantly predicted the outcome of interest. Thus, self-control was found to be a multidimensional construct, and only the impulsivity/temper element was related to police recruits' unwillingness to report fellow officers' misconduct; however, other factors were also significant in predicting code adherence. This study offers insight into this important phenomenon and the findings suggest important policy implications for police administrators. (publisher abstract modified)
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        2008-DN-BX-0005


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Research (Applied/Empirical)
                                Report (Study/Research)
                                Report (Grant Sponsored)
                                Program/Project Description


  
  
        
  Award
        Advancing Knowledge and Practice in Policing: A Longitudinal Platform for National Research
    
  
  
Date Published: June 1, 2018
    
          Downloads
        
                      HTML

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
        NIJ Grant-related Documents
        Police attitudes
        Police misconduct
        Police subculture



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Analysis of Desomorphine in Urine Using Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
                  Random Forest Processing of Direct Analysis in Real-Time Mass Spectrometric Data Enables Species Identification of Psychoactive Plants From Their Headspace Chemical Signatures
                  An Analysis of Single and Multi-Copy Methods for DNA Analysis by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov