Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout among Law Enforcement Investigators Exposed to Disturbing Media Images

Abstract

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.

Secondary trauma among community corrections staff: An exploratory study

“…The literature assessing secondary trauma among members of the criminal justice is more limited, but it also tends to be more qualitative in nature. A few studies assess secondary trauma among sexual assault and/or domestic violence advocates/counselors (Baird & Jenkins, 2003;Iliffe & Steed, 2000;Jenkins, Mitchell, Baird, Roby Whitfield, & Meyer, 2011;Slattery & Goodman, 2009), while single studies address secondary trauma among judges (Osofsky, Putnam, & Lederman, 2008) and police officers (Perez, et al, 2010).…”

“…However, very little literature assesses secondary trauma among those who work closely with victims and offenders in the criminal justice system. For example, one study assesses secondary trauma among police officers who must view images of child pornography as part of their investigations (Perez, Jones, Englert, & Sachau, 2010). Similarly, one study specifically looks at secondary and problems through various intake and counseling techniques and devises a plan for the offender to successfully complete the course of supervision" (Iowa Department of Correctional Services, Fifth Judicial District, 2015a).…”

A Longitudinal Examination of Secondary Traumatic Stress among Law Enforcement

“…As with research on treatment providers, levels of STS appear to increase with the number of years working in sex-crimes related investigations (Perez, Jones, Englert, & Sachau, 2010). The concern over STS among sex crimes investigators is magnified among a newer and specific type of law enforcement unit: the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces that have emerged across the United States and which now have counterparts in most western nations across the globe (Krause, 2009).…”

“…That work to date shows important similarities with research on other populations. For example, Perez and colleagues examined a small sample of federal investigators, finding that higher Downloaded by [McGill University Library] at 13:09 19 November 2014 STS was associated with increased protectiveness of loved ones and more distrust of the general public (Perez et al, 2010). More recently, Bourke and Craun (2012) examined more than 600 ICAC personnel within the United States, finding the most common symptoms of STS were (1) thinking about work when not intending to, (2) being easily irritable, (3) feeling emotionally numb, and (4) experiencing sleep difficulties.…”

The development of a model for dealing with secondary traumatic stress in mental health workers in Rwanda

“…Mental health workers who listen to these stories of fear, pain and distress of traumatised clients may develop their own deleterious emotional, cognitive and physical consequences (Cairns, 2007). This phenomenon has been called STS (Perez et al, 2010). Since numerous mental health workers operating in Rwanda are themselves victims of trauma, it is imperative to ensure that appropriate psychological support services are developed to help them deal with STS.…”