The Relationship Between Self-Control and Police Misconduct

Abstract

Prior research has identified several individual, organizational, and community-level correlates of police misconduct, but studies based on theoretical explanations have only recently emerged in the literature. The purpose of the current study was to examine the potential relationship between self-control and police misconduct using both Gottfredson and Hirschi’s original version of self-control theory and Hirschi’s revised version of the theory. Data from a multi-agency sample of 101 first-line police supervisors demonstrated that self-control, as measured by both conceptualizations of the theory, was significantly related to self-reported prior engagement in police misconduct as well as the likelihood of future misconduct. The results are discussed in terms of theoretical and policy implications, as well as in terms of study limitations and directions for future research.

De-escalation strategies for kleptocracy in Nigeria’s oil sector

“…Eight (100%) participants asseverated that high self-control is a component of de-escalation strategies for kleptocracy in Nigeria’s oil sector. The high self-control theme that emerged from the analysis of interview data transcriptions of this study corroborated previous research as a component of anti-corruption strategies (Das, 2018a; Donner et al , 2016; Donner et al , 2020; Donner et al , 2018; Hay and Meldrum, 2015; Nee et al , 2019; Watts and Iratzoqui, 2019).…”

“…After analyzing data sample of 1,935 police officers from the Philadelphia Police Department, Donner and Jennings (2014) found that low self-control correlated to police misconduct. Donner et al (2016) examined the bond of affinity between self-control and police misconduct using Gottfredson and Hirschi’s self-control theory and Hirschi’s revised version of the theory. Donner et al (2016) analyzed data from a multiagency sample of 101 first-line police supervisors and reported that self-control, as measured by both conceptualizations of the theory, significantly correlated to self-reported preceding engagement in police delinquency and the high probability of future misconduct.…”

The Network Structure of Police Misconduct

“…Tenure is associated with misconduct, with younger and less experienced officers receiving more complaints-especially use-of-force complaints-than older and more experienced officers (Chappell and Piquero 2004;McElvain and Kposowa 2008). Psychological factors also appear relevant: in some research, officer misconduct is associated with antisocial behavior and personality factors, such as low self-control (Donner and Jennings 2014;Donner, Fridell, and Jennings 2016) and an "authoritarian personality" (Henkel, Sheehan, and Reichel 1997).…”

Using criminological theory to explain police misconduct: a state-of-the-art review

“…According to Gottfredson and Hirschi (1990), those who lack self-control are more likely to engage in crime and deviant behavior because they lack the capacity to consider the longterm consequences of those behaviors and actions (Akers et al, 2020). Donner et al (2016a), for example, reported that two attitudinal measures of low self-control were related to both selfreported misconduct and intentions to engage in future misconduct among a sample of police supervisors. Donner (2019), however, found that while low self-control was initially and inconsistently related to future intentions of misconduct, after controlling for prior misconduct, the initial effects were rendered nonsignificant.…”

“…Research from Kaariainen et al (2008) found that 82% of Finnish officers reported seeing at least one act of misconduct committed by a fellow officer, while 43% self-reported at least one act of misconduct. Additionally, peer-report data from Son and Rome (2004) and self-report data from Donner et al (2016a) revealed that certain behaviors were more prevalent (e.g. speeding when no emergency exists) than others (e.g.…”