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June 1990                                 
                                                                  
                         RESEARCH FORUM:                        
                     FBINA GRADUATE SURVEY
                            
                                                                  
     During 1988, the Institutional Research and Development Unit 
(IRDU) at the FBI Academy surveyed FBI National Academy (FBINA) 
graduates.  The purpose was to gather information from State and 
local law enforcement officers by examining career patterns 
after graduation, as well as their perceptions of the NA Program.  
The data gathered could then be used by FBI managers to tailor 
training programs to meet the changing needs of these law 
enforcement practitioners.                                        

     The respondents work at all organizational levels  from 
senior executives to lower ranking officers.  Of the 6,333 
graduates who attended the National Academy from July 1981, to 
December, 1987, 807 were surveyed using a stratified random 
sampling technique.  Usable responses from those surveyed 
totaled 642, for a response rate of 80%.                          

RESPONDENT CHARACTERISTICS                                        

     Survey responses showed that 95% of FBINA graduates who 
attended the Academy during the 6-year period are still pursuing 
law enforcement careers.  Eighty-six percent are between the ages 
of 30 and 49; 59% have 11 to 20 years of law enforcement 
experience, while 38% have more than 20 years of experience.  
Sixty-eight percent of NA graduates have 3 or more years of 
college credits.                                                  

     In fact, the increase in education level since attending the 
FBINA is quite dramatic.  For instance, 18% of the senior 
executive officers held advanced degrees while attending the 
FBINA, as compared to the 30% who presently hold advanced 
degrees, a 12-percent increase during the 6-year period.  A 
9-percent increase (from 30% to 39%) in the number of advanced 
degrees earned was recorded for those in middle management, and a 
13-percent increase for all other ranks.                          

     Respondents indicated that they transferred FBINA credits to 
another college or university (28%) or used the credits for 
mandated police training requirements (24%).  NA graduates with 
3-4 years of college transferred credits more frequently to a 
college or university, while those with a high school education 
or 1-2 years of college used credits more frequently for mandated 
police training requirements.                                     

CAREER PATTERNS                                                   

     A large portion (40%) of those surveyed did not experience a 
job change since attending the National Academy Program.  This 
figure is due in large part to responses received from senior 
executive officers (two-thirds did not change jobs).  Those 
senior executives who did change jobs (13%) moved to another law 
enforcement agency.                                               

     Jobs changed for middle managers because of lateral 
transfers and promotions, while for those in all other ranks, the 
order of frequency for job changes was promotion, lateral 
transfer, and movement to another law enforcement agency.  Thus, 
senior executive officers and those at the lower ranks are more 
apt to move to another agency than are middle managers.           

     In examining job changes by education level, FBINA 
graduates with ``3-4 years of college'' were promoted most 
frequently.  Those with ``over 4 years of college'' were promoted 
more frequently than were those with ``high school'' and ``1-2 
years of college.''                                               

     With regard to lateral transfers, there is a progression 
from lower to higher education levels.  One-tenth of those with a 
high school education received lateral transfers, while 
one-fourth of those with advanced studies were laterally 
transferred.                                                      

     A similar progression is noted in the movement to another 
law enforcement agency  from 3% at the lowest education level to 
10% at the highest level.  Law enforcement officers with higher 
educational levels are being transferred or promoted more 
frequently than those with lower levels of education.  Those with 
higher levels of education are also moving to other law 
enforcement agencies more often.                                  

PHYSICAL FITNESS                                                  

     FBINA graduates increased their participation in exercise to 
promote better physical fitness.  Twenty-seven percent indicated 
their departments sponsor a health/fitness program; 22% 
participate in such programs; and 15% have been instrumental in 
developing a fitness program for their departments.               

PERCEPTIONS OF THE FBINA                                          

     Respondent perceptions of the FBINA Program show that    
association with other attendees is the most highly rated, 
followed by knowledge gained from academic courses.  The area 
having the lowest average rating is college credits earned.  Each 
of these areas was examined from the perspective of rank and 
education. Variations in patterns of response are not noteworthy.  

     The primary benefits cited by FBINA graduates center on 
performance and understanding of their organizations and the 
communities they serve.  At each rank level and each educational 
level, the respondents more frequently indicated an improvement 
in their performance as the one best way FBINA attendance has 
assisted them in attaining their career goals.  The area selected 
next in frequency at all levels of analysis was ``better 
understanding of community and/or organizational problems,'' 
followed by ``improved performance and received promotion.'' 

COMPUTER USAGE AMONG GRADUATES                                    

      During the time covered by this study, a computer classroom 
was set up at the Academy and computer-based training was made 
available to students.  Respondents were asked how often they 
used computers for a variety of purposes, ranging from conducting 
investigations to preparing budgets.  For each activity, 
respondents indicated their level of usage prior to attending the 
FBINA and at the time of the survey.  Responses ranged from 
``several times each day'' to ``never'' on a 5-point scale.       

     Data were analyzed from the perspective of three groups: (1)  
Those who attended the FBINA before computer training was 
available; (2) those who attended while computer training was 
available but elected not to take the training; and (3) those who 
attended while the training was available and who did take the 
training.  These three groups were compared on the frequency 
with which they used computers before their attendance at the 
FBINA and at the time of the survey.                              

     Examination of data gathered clearly indicates that computer 
usage for a variety of law enforcement applications is 
increasing.  After attendance at the FBINA, increased use of 
computers by graduates were for preparing memoranda and reports, 
administrative recordkeeping, and conducting and managing 
investigations.  In the area of report and memoranda preparation, 
for those who attended prior to computer course availability, the 
combined increase in computer usage for those who do use 
computers is 18%.  For those who elected not to take computer 
courses even though the courses were available, the increase is 
7%, while for those who elected to take available computer 
courses, the increase is 25%.                                     

     In the area of administrative recordkeeping, for those who 
attended prior to computer course availability, the increase is 
7%, while only a 2% increase is shown for those who elected not 
to take computer courses.  Those who elected to take computer 
courses offered showed an increase of 30%.                        

     In the area of conducting and managing investigations, the 
increases are 9% (for those attending prior to computer course 
availability), 0% (for those electing not to take computer 
courses), and 21% (for those taking computer courses).            

SUMMARY                                                           

     Ninety-five percent of survey respondents are still pursuing 
law enforcement careers, and many have increased their levels of 
education since graduation.  The survey also shows that those 
with higher levels of education are more likely to be promoted or 
be laterally transferred.  The most highly rated benefits of 
FBINA attendance are knowledge gained from academic courses and  
association with other attendees.  The FBINA appears to be 
succeeding in promoting increased knowledge and exchange of 
ideas among State and local law enforcement personnel, thus 
continuing  to address  the training needs of State and local law 
enforcement.                                                      

____________

     Research conducted by Audrey B. LaSante, Operations Research 
Analyst, Institutional Research and Development Unit, FBI 
Academy.