Class notes Crim 251- Policing In Canada (CRIM251)

Lecture 9- Stress Management Lecture

 Aspects of the Profession
o Adverse work schedule
 4 on 4 off
 Evenings, Weekends and Holidays
 Work, Sleep, Home
o Fear and Danger
 Keeps you alert and deters complacency
o Absence of Closure
 Going from call to call and the investigation moving on to other
departments or people
 Sometimes you will finish it through but not always
o People Pain
 People can be taxing sometimes
o Startle
 Going from zero to 100 so quickly
 Physical and mental reactions
 Sources of Stress
o Criminal justice system
 Lot of time and work
 Victim and offender reactions
 Different expectations about the CJS
o General Public
 TV impact on perception (CSI effect)
 Differences between perception and the reality of what can be done
 Creates confusion and frustration
o Excessive Paperwork
 A lot of writing
o Always being on Duty
 Leave work at work; don’t bring it home
 Being able to be more outside of their profession
 Creates a burden on conversation and socialization
o Transfer Policies (RCMP)
 Having to leave and not being able to do anything about it
o Dissatisfaction with management
 High stress environment
 Trying to keep morale high and satisfaction
o Quality of life issues
 Two Types of Approaches to a Situation
o Probability thinking
 What likely is to happen?
 What will happen?