Vol. 7 No. 1 Cheyenne (Jarvis) Jones • 3 training and preparation for undercover operations adequately prepare officers mentally for their time undercover? Literature Review Since the rise of various mental health awareness movements in the late 1900s and early 2000s, there has been an increasing amount of attention and time devoted to research in mental health fields. Understandably there is a strong relational tie between careers in law enforcement and psychological studies regarding mental health, as law enforcement officers endure extreme stress that often leads to negative psychological outcomes. The following questions are then posed: Does a connection between undercover police operations and adverse psychological effects exist? If so, what are the underlying contributing factors aside from the obvious tension of the work? Finally, what has been done and what is being done in order to eliminate or diminish the contributing factors? Scholars in both criminal justice and psychology disciplines continue to study these questions in hopes that gaps in the research may be filled and further developments be made to the benefit of the professionals involved. While many scholars agree that there is a connection between undercover police operations and psychological outcomes, they do vary in their determinations of whether the outcomes are positive or negative and if the outcomes are either due to additional underlying factors or simply an aspect of the career. Additionally there is still a significant remaining need for further research to be conducted in the present era in order to continue the progression of policies and practices in an ever-changing law enforcement climate. Historical Background and Purposes Undercover police operations have existed for centuries, with early evidence of spies and informants dating back to early Rome; however, they rose to popularity in the mid-to-late 1900s (Kruisbergen et al., 2011). This was largely due to the success of ABSCAM, a large-scale Federal Bureau of Investigation [FBI] undercover operation. ABSCAM spanned from 1978- 1980, serving primarily to recover stolen “treasures” such as paintings, as well as fraudulent stocks and bonds (FBIa). The success of the operation was incredible, resulting in the arrest and conviction of nineteen people total, including six United States Congressmen and one senator (Mayberry, 2016). As a result, this operation also had an impact in winning the favor of the judicial system in the United States, due largely to the extent of success in removing corrupt individuals from places of power (Bonney, 2015). However, other sources indicate that it was the ABSCAM operation that diminished public trust, due to the excessive and seemingly unlimited scope of the operation (Wamsley, 2015). While it is sensible that there would be unrest among the public upon learning of such an extensive undercover operation, the hundreds of pages of FBI records filled with positive public responses indicate that many also
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