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Misconduct allegations and higher education in a southern sheriff’s department

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Abstract

The purpose of this research is to determine if a relationship exists between education level and misconduct allegations for patrol deputies. Official data from 231 deputies were collected from a large sheriff’s office in the Southeastern United States. Significant relationships were found between education level and the number of misconduct allegations, administrative referrals, and sustained allegations. While some college exposure may be beneficial for job performance, a four-year degree might not yield the anticipated benefits.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida, 140 7th Avenue South, 33701, Saint Petersburg, FL

    Kim Michelle Lersch & Linda L. Kunzman

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  1. Kim Michelle Lersch
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  2. Linda L. Kunzman
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Lersch, K.M., Kunzman, L.L. Misconduct allegations and higher education in a southern sheriff’s department. Am J Crim Just 25, 161–172 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02886843

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