Impact of Age on Police Officers' Perceptions of Low Self-Control Among Perpetrators of Violent Crimes in UAE Society
Abstract:
This study explores how age affects the perceptions of employees in the Sharjah Police Headquarters regarding the dimensions of low self-control among perpetrators of violent crimes in UAE society. The study sample comprises 293 employees (73.7% male and 21.5% female) working in the Criminal Investigation Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Department of Correctional and Rehabilitation Institutions, selected through purposive non-probability sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for the data analysis, involving frequencies, percentages, arithmetic means, and standard deviations as well as one-way ANOVA tests. The findings reveal that age impacts the perceptions of employees in the Sharjah Police Headquarters towards the dimensions of low self-control among perpetrators of violent crimes. Specifically, the dimensions of recklessness and impulsiveness were found significant for the 18-47-years age group, and easy and quick gratification was more significant for the age groups of 18-47 years and 58 years and above. The dimension of self-centeredness also showed a significant influence for the 18-47 years age group. However, the dimensions of risk-taking, temperament, and preference for physical activities showed no statistically significant differences in the perceptions of employees in the Sharjah Police Headquarters across all ages.