Civilian Forensic Technician and Sworn Police Officer Job‐Related Stress

Abstract

Forensic Technicians provide crime scene investigation services and are exposed to stressful violent crimes, motor vehicle accidents, biological or chemical hazards, and other appalling imagery. Forensic Technicians would likely experience physical and psychological stress after exposure to trauma, and security vulnerabilities similar to Sworn Police Officers. The perceived availability of mental health resources, job-related physical, psychological stress, and traumatic experiences of both Forensic Technicians and Sworn Police Officers from California law enforcement agencies were investigated using a self-reported survey. Responses were evaluated for any significant differences in the perceived stress, job-related physical stress, and resulting psychological impact affecting the participants. The survey contained a mix of True/False, Circle/Check the Appropriate Box, or Likert Scale (1-5) responses. The results were evaluated statistically and discussed. Results indicated Sworn Police Officers and Forensic Technicians have different on-duty stress levels, but similar off-duty stress levels. Nearly twothirds of 54 job-related stressors were not significantly different between the two occupations. However, Forensic Technicians reported more adverse effects in 17 physical and psychological job-related activities compared with Sworn Police Officers. Forensic Technicians reported lower awareness levels and availability of agency mental health support services than were reported by Sworn Police Officers. This study reports for the first time an unexpected outcome that perceived and job-related psychological stress is greater for Forensic Technicians than Sworn Police Officers. Possible reasons for this disparity will be discussed as well as stress management tools that should be implemented to reduce health risk factors for both career professionals as well as increase public safety.

Assessment of Occupational Stress

“…For example, in the case of digital forensics experts, there are ongoing debates centering on whether experts should be sworn or unsworn, and whether they should be located within police agencies, within forensic labs, or in private cybersecurity. Similar issues arise across many of the forensic sciences, including crime scene examiners, crash investigation and forensic medical practitioners (McKay-Davis et al, 2020). This has the potential to create instability in work teams with experts having difficulty situating themselves, with differential employment status and unclear division of responsibilities in investigations depending on where the experts are based and whether they are sworn or civilian experts (Ludwig et al, 2012).…”

Self‐reported levels of occupational stress and wellness in forensic practitioners: Implications for the education and training of the forensic workforce

“…The wellness studies in C/ME contexts that have been conducted provide vital data on the experiences and effects of VT on crime scene personnel [18,19], medicolegal investigators [20][21][22], and forensic technicians [8,[23][24][25][26], and collectively suggest the need to further investigate the nature and impacts of forensic occupational stressors. Importantly, a longitudinal study [27] of ME employees related case exposure and contact with next of kin to symptoms of PTSD and depression.…”

“…This assumption has arguably been extended to civilian practitioners working in C/ME offices, as evidenced by the limited research investigating the impact of occupational stress, burnout, and vicarious trauma on the civilian practitioners at C/ME offices. The wellness studies in C/ME contexts that have been conducted provide vital data on the experiences and effects of VT on crime scene personnel [18,19], medicolegal investigators [20–22], and forensic technicians [8,23–26], and collectively suggest the need to further investigate the nature and impacts of forensic occupational stressors. Importantly, a longitudinal study [27] of ME employees related case exposure and contact with next of kin to symptoms of PTSD and depression.…”