Address the first two bullet points
and
enter dates into the research plan (yellow highlighting)
List your topic and list at least three potential research questions.
TOPIC: The Impacts of Stress and Fatigue on Law Enforcement
1. What is the impact of job stress and fatigue on a law enforcement officer’s family and
personal life?
2. What is the impact of job stress and fatigue on a law enforcement officer’s decision
making?
3. Are there any differences on the impact of job stress and fatigue for female and male
law enforcement officers?
In the article Impact of Stress on Police Officers’ Physical and Mental Health, The
University of Buffalo Research Team describes how the pressure and nature of a law
enforcement officer’s job can affect their lives. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH), funded a $1.75 million grant to investigate how “the stress of police work
affects an officer’s physical and mental health” (Tanigoshi, Kontos, Remley, 2008). John M.
Violanti, Ph.D., research associate professor in UB’s Department of Social and Preventive
Medicine in the School of Public Health and Health Professions led the study of over 400 police
officers lifestyles, psychological job factors, sleep patterns, and overall health. Not surprising,
Violanti found that law enforcement officers were “at a higher risk of a coronary event compared
to average national standards; 72 percent of female officers and 43 percent of male officers, had
higher-than-recommended cholesterol levels” (Tanigoshi, Kontos, Remley, 2008, pg. 1).
Furthermore, the study concluded that officer’s that work a shift during the night also disturb
their sleep patterns and can lead to more health problems. Violanti determines, “There also is the
problem of physiological disruption of circadian rhythms. Being awake all night while one
should be sleeping can affect judgment and decision making. The combination of these two has a
double-barreled stress effect” (Tanigoshi, Kontos, Remley, 2008, pg. 3). It is not a mystery that
law enforcement officers are stressed due to the high risk danger of their occupation, however, it
is imperative that they are given tools to help manage these stressors to keep every person safe.
This source will be an effective tool for a student researching the impact of stress on law
enforcement.
References
Tanigoshi, H., Kontos, A. P., & Remley,Theodore P.,,Jr. (2008). The effectiveness of individual wellness
counseling on the wellness of law enforcement officers. Journal of Counseling and Development : JCD,
86(1), 64-74. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/219030066?accountid=39965