Examination of the Relationship Between Transformational Leadership and Organizational Justice Among Police Officers

Author

Allison Osborn, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

8-1-2018

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Criminology and Criminal Justice

First Advisor

Giblin, Matthew

Abstract

After decades of consistency in the organizational practices of police departments, the public has come to demand a reform that reflects the advancements in technology and research. However, the durability of these organizations is largely due to an internal resistance to change. This study argues that the most effective avenue for police to effectively induce this change is through the cultivation of positive leadership and justice perceptions. Prior literature has proven that both transformational leadership and organizational justice play a significant role within organizations in the development of improved attitudes and behaviors. As such, this project took a holistic approach to assess the presence of a primary relationship between transformational leadership and organizational justice perceptions. Using a secondary data set, the current study analyzed the responses of thirty-eight officers from a single police department and found a significant relationship between these two concepts. Results showed that the total model of transformational leadership significantly predicted perceptions of procedural justice, interactional justice, and overall organizational justice. The intricacy of this connection, however, may only run through one of the four transformational leadership facets. This argues that these findings could aid in the creation of a prospective avenue for inducing organizational change by establishing the foundation for effective supervisor-officer relationships based on the paralleled importance of individualized consideration.