The Noble Cause: An Empirical Assessment
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2007
Abstract
Literature on police ethics has employed the term "noble cause" to describe a utilitarian orientation toward crime control. No empirical research, however, has systematically investigated the noble cause, a shortcoming addressed in this study. A survey of deputies in a western sheriff's office provided the setting for the current research. Twelve items tapping the noble cause revealed a multidimensional latent structure composed of three factors. Findings did not support the presence of a link between measures of the noble cause and crime. A positive though inconsistent relationship was found between measures of the noble cause and deputies' attitudes toward administrators.
Publication Information
Crank, John P.; Flaherty, Dan; and Giacomazzi, Andrew L.. (2007). "The Noble Cause: An Empirical Assessment". Journal of Criminal Justice, 35(1), 103-116. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcrimjus.2006.11.019