The Effects of Social Media on Police Recruitment in Massachusetts

Date of Conferral

10-20-2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Dale Brooker

Abstract

There is a decline in individuals seeking to become police officers in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts leading to police departments accepting individuals with lower qualifications than in the recent past. This decrease in qualified officers has taken place simultaneously with the increase in social media posts both for and against police officers and police departments. The theory of reasoned action provided a means to investigate the issue by dividing the research questions into direct social media effects on the individual and societal pressure on the individual. This quantitative study of 221 police academy recruits delved further into the effects by examining if there were differing relationships based on demographic differences amongst the participants. The data showed that the majority of the respondents reported disagreeing at some level that social media influenced their decision to become police officers. Despite believing that social media influenced their decision, there was data to support that the decision was influenced by social media for a small number of participants and by family and friends for a larger portion of the respondents. However, there were no significant differences when age, race, or socioeconomic status was factored into the equation. Police agencies can use this knowledge on social media influence to better promote their departments and the profession in general and to actively work to repair strained police-community relationships.

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