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.