Browsing by Author "Michael L. Vasu, Committee Chair"

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    Determinants of Drug Testing Policies in Law Enforcement Agencies: Building and Testing a Theory of Public Sector Drug Testing
    (2003-04-30) Brunet, James Robert; William R. Smith, Committee Member; Dennis M. Daley, Committee Member; Deborah L. Weisel, Committee Member; Michael L. Vasu, Committee Chair
    Drug testing has become an increasingly important part of our social lives, especially in the workplace. This is particularly the case in the public sector where military personnel, police officers, transportation workers, and those seeking government employ routinely submit to government mandated drug screens. The genesis of large-scale drug testing of public workers is often traced back to President Reagan's 1986 call for a 'drug-free federal workplace' (Executive Order 12564). State and local governments, particularly law enforcement agencies, followed the federal example and rapidly implemented drug testing policies. A large majority of local law enforcement agencies (approximately 77 percent) now test all job applicants, up from 25 percent in 1990. The purpose of this investigation is to identify the historical, political, and legal preconditions that led to the widespread adoption of workplace drug testing in the public sector. This knowledge provides the theoretical platform for an empirical study of the factors that lead police departments to adopt different drug testing policies. For safety sensitive positions, courts have granted government employers wide discretion in selecting from a menu of employee drug testing strategies. Random and mandatory screening of current and prospective public safety workers is permissible as long as certain due process procedures are followed. With such a wide range of options available, what leads one agency to adopt a more rigorous approach such as universal testing while another agency abstains from testing workers altogether? An emerging literature that conceives of drug testing as a mechanism of social control provides the theoretical base for this inquiry. An analysis of a random sample of law enforcement agencies (n=1,988) finds evidence that social distance within police organizations (size of the sworn workforce, racial diversity), the social status of officers (starting salary), and the influence of third parties (collective bargaining) play significant roles in shaping a department's drug testing policy. The policy, administrative, and research issues emerging from the analysis are also discussed.
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    Public perception of law enforcement's treatment of suspects in North Carolina: Testing conflict, attitude consistency, and ecological theories
    (2002-11-20) Weinstein, Meredith Blackwell; Michael L. Vasu, Committee Chair; Ellen S. Vasu, Committee Member; Deborah L. Weisel, Committee Member; G. David Garson, Committee Member
    This research study examines whether citizens of North Carolina perceive the existence of discrimination in the treatment of suspects by law enforcement officers. The study was undertaken to ascertain the factors which characterize persons who believe that law enforcement officers treat certain suspects differently than others versus people who do not believe differential treatment exists. Previous research has acknowledged that it is of equal importance to study public perceptions of bias in the criminal justice system as to study whether bias actually exists. As such, this study does not attempt to determine if discrimination actually occurs, but rather what the public perceives as occurring in the criminal justice system. To study the factors influencing perceptions three models, proposed in previous research, were tested to explain differential attitudes: conflict theory, attitude consistency theory, and ecological theory. Additionally, a combined model including the components of each theory was tested. The three models were analyzed based on data collected from samples of North Carolina residents in 1997, 1999, and 2001. The findings suggest that none of the three models adequately explains differing perceptions. Furthermore, the model with the greatest explanatory ability was the combined model, thereby indicating that perceptions are multidimensional and a single theoretical explanation is insufficient. Based on the research findings, several policy implications were identified: Policymakers must recognize the interdependence of the elements that compose the criminal justice system. Policymakers must recognize the need to close the gap between the public's perception of discrimination and reality. Policymakers must recognize the disparity in public opinion of specific segments of the population. Policymakers must recognize the importance of positive public opinion to the success of policing initiatives.