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Research by the author reported in detailed elsewhere indicates that police officers with low workloads are oriented toward their departments, particularly their sergeants, and suffer more stress when relations with others in their departments are negative. This research also indicates that police officers with high workloads are not susceptible to stress from this source, because they appear to be more “crime-fighter” oriented, but that they are susceptible to stress from any difficult professional and other problems they encounter, more so than are low-workload officers facing such problems. These findings are consistent with other studies of high- and low-workload officers. The findings are relevant to the theoretical concepts of Wilson and others regarding policing. Implications for police administration are indicated.

Matched samples of police officers, firefighters, and other municipal workers were compared with regard to self-reports of stress and various mental, physical, and behavioral problems reflecting strain resulting from stress. The police reported more stress than the other groups. Nonetheless, strain was greatest among municipal workers, while the police and firefighters did not differ markedly. It was concluded that police do not suffer the most from strain as is widely believed.

The effects of a resident cycle and other staff variables on patient behavior were studied on two closed psychiatric wards. It was found that the longer the residents are on the ward, the better the patients sleep, and the more increases there are of level of medication, although these two effects are independent.