This study examines the psychological impact of viewing disturbing media on investigators engaged in computer forensics work. Twenty-eight federal law enforcement personnel who investigate Internet child pornography cases completed measures of secondary traumatic stress disorder (STSD) and burnout. Substantial percentages of investigators reported poor psychological well-being. Greater exposure to disturbing media was related to higher levels of STSD and cynicism. STSD and burnout scores were related to increased protectiveness of family, reliance on co-workers, general distrust, and turnover intentions. On a positive note, investigators scored high in professional efficacy, indicating they feel their work makes a difference. Furthermore, personnel with supportive relationships scored lower on both STSD and burnout.

This study examines the extent to which cognitive ability, the Big Five factor personality dimensions, and emotional intelligence are related to training and job performance of U.S. federal criminal investigators. Training performance measures were collected during a 17-week training program. Job performance measures were collected 1 year after the investigators completed the training program. Conscientiousness was modestly related to training performance. Cognitive ability and emotional intelligence were positively correlated with job performance. Neuroticism was negatively correlated with job performance. The relative benefits of using emotional intelligence and the five-factor model to select law enforcement agents are discussed.

A 2000 report by Staal, Cigrang, and Fiedler and a 1998 report by Cigrang, Carbone, Todd, and Fiedler described the attrition of U. S. Air Force basic military trainees due to mental health disorders for the year 1997. This article looks at the population of Air Force basic military trainees and technical training school students located at the same base during the year 2001. In addition, we look at the effect of allowing basic trainees and those in technical school to refer themselves for mental health evaluations as opposed to only evaluating those referred by secondary sources. Primary results of the data analysis suggest that mental health-related separation rates for calendar year 2001 basic military trainees are consistent with past years at 4.2%. For both basic trainees and technical school training students, adjustment disorders and depressive disorders are the top diagnostic categories related to recommendation for separation.

Life stressor precipitants and communications of distress and suicide intent were examined among a sample of United States Air Force (USAF) married versus unmarried suicide decedents. A total of 100 death investigations conducted by the Office of Special Investigations on active duty USAF suicides occurring between 1996 and 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Married decedents were twice as likely 1) to have documented interpersonal conflict 24 hours prior to suicide and 2) to have communicated suicide intent to peers or professionals. Themes of distress communication for all decedents were intrapersonal (perceived stress, depression, psychological pain) and interpersonal (thwarted belongingness, rejection, loneliness). Suicide prevention programs and policies are encouraged to adapt efforts to the unique needs of married and unmarried individuals.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among identification, embeddedness, and turnover intentions at the organizational and occupational levels. Design/methodology/approach-Over 1,100 members of the United States Air Force Office of Special Investigations completed an on-line survey. The sample included Agents and staff who were officers, enlisted, and civilians. Findings Measures of fit, sacrifice, and links were positively related to organizational embeddedness. Organizational and occupational embeddedness were negatively related to turnover intentions. Organizational and occupational identification were negatively related to turnover intentions. Embeddedness fully mediated the relationship between identification and turnover intentions at the organizational level and partially mediated the relationship between identification and turnover intentions at the occupational level. Implications Turnover can be expensive in organizations where training costs are high. Understanding embeddedness may help practitioners reduce turnover costs. Combining models of embeddedness and identification can help researchers understand the mechanisms by which employees are rooted in organizations, and organizations are rooted in employees. Originality/value This paper is one of very few papers that have examined job embeddedness in law enforcement organizations, or occupational embeddedness in any organization. This is one of the first studies to examine the relationships among identification, embeddedness and turnover intentions. The paper demonstrated the value of adding identification to the job embeddedness model.