Research Projects

Here you will find studies that are initiated and executed by the ILETSB Executive Institute:

  • Warrior – Guardian Mindest: A survey of Female Law Enforcement and Corrections Professionals in Illinois
  • Divorce Rates of Illinois sworn Law Enforcement Officers

Please contact us at contactei@iletsbei.org for more information on these studies.

Want to participate?

At this moment we have four studies ready for you posted in the Professional Research Pool for Criminal Justice Science. These studies are:

1. Assessing Police Awareness of 21st Century Task Force Recommendations (Policy & Oversight)

The purpose of the study is to examine law enforcement officers’ responsiveness to current policing recommendations stemming from the Policing in the 21st Century Task Force (TF). As part of the study you will complete a brief survey (15 to 20 minutes) regarding your knowledge of the TF recommendations known as “The 6 Pillars”. After you complete the survey, a description of the 6 pillars will be provided.  This research will be helpful in furthering our understanding of officer perceptions of the future of law enforcement in relation to the communities served, health and wellness of officers, the use and development of technology, and the general role of police organizations within communities.

2. Officer Beliefs about Child Abuse (Training & Education)

This study will explore your professional opinions about various aspects of child abuse. You will answer questions based on your professional beliefs and experiences. This survey will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.

3. Police Interactions with Community Members (Building Trust & Legitimacy)

The purpose of this study is to better understand sworn law enforcement officers’ characteristics and behaviors related to their interactions with community members. In completing the survey you will respond to items about the demographic characteristic of the community you have policed in for most of your career, consider how community members in this area may view you, consider behaviors that you engage in for effective policing, and consider your own responses to people from other cultures. This research will be used to consider how officers’ balance needs related to safety and crime control with police legitimacy and justice in the communities they work in.

4. A Qualitative Examination of Cultural Identity Conflicts Experienced by Black and Afro-Latino LEOs (Officer Health and Wellness)

The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the relatively unstudied sociocultural identity conflicts that may be experienced by male law enforcement officers who identify racially and ethnically as Black, African American, or Afro-Latino. Participants will be individuals, ages 21 to 55, currently/previously employed as law enforcement officers/policemen, who 1) self-identify their biological sex and/or gender identity as male and 2) their racial/ethnic backgrounds as Black, African American or Afro-Latino (i.e., ethnic heritage associated with a former Spanish colony in Central America, South America, or the Caribbean). A private, confidential interview will be completed virtually via a HIPPA-compliant online video conference program, Zoom. Participants will receive a $15 Amazon gift card as incentive. In this study, consensual qualitative research methods will be utilized to analyze interviews from 10 participants living in the United States. Results of this study will reveal common themes or core ideas across participants. The examination of the experiences of Black male law enforcement officers will provide clinical implications as it pertains to the field of police psychology, specifically how to best support racial/ethnic minority law enforcement officers.

To participate in one of these studies contact Kimberley McClure, PhD., Western Illinois University, (309) 298-1259 or ka-mcclure@wiu.edu