Crimes in Uniform: Deviant Behavior in Italian Law Enforcement and Impact on Public Safety Perception

Background: The aim of the article is to discuss some deviant behaviors in security and public order protection agencies. The research problem was formulated: what factors determine the emergence of deviant behavior in law enforcement environments, and what preventive actions can be implemented to address this issue? Objectives: The development of deviant behavior among officers has many causes, with key factors including environmental conditions, stress and the hardship of service. Research into the causes of their occurrence, particularly ethnographic research, is one of the possibilities of understanding them in order to find ways to reduce their occurrence. Methods: Analysis and critique of literature, analysis of existing data. Results: Certain conditions favoring the development of deviant behavior among officers as well as stimuli triggering these behaviors have been identified. Conclusions: The obtained results suggest that key factors contributing to deviant behavior of police officers include, among others: very high stress, difficult working conditions, a sense of helplessness in the face of the prevailing crime, and a sense of injustice regarding how criminals are treated. Separate causes include inadequate education and norms of behaviour in the officers' residential environment, and relationships and dependence on connections in the workplace. Juxtaposing the results with the available scientific literature indicates the need for psychological support for officers. An essential measure is also the education of future representatives of security and public order protection bodies as part of professional training, with reference to moral norms, by proposing positive role models that respect the principles of professional ethics.