1. Racial Diversity of Virginia Sheriffs’ Offices
A 2014 Cross-Sectional Study
By: Elizabeth Rose LaBelle

2. The Problem USA is one of the most racially diverse countries
Virginia is listed by USA as one of the most diverse states (#12) in the Nation
The majority of local law enforcement agencies consist of <20% non-white full-time sworn officers
Underrepresentation of diversity
Need more representative law enforcement agencies

3. Purpose & Significance
Examine what variables within local law enforcement agencies are most related to their lack of racial diversity.
Variables that affect the recruitment, retention rates, and financial aspects of maintaining more racially diverse Sheriffs’ Offices within Virginia.

4. The Concentric Zone Model
(1925)- Robert E. Park, Ernest Burgess, & Roderic McKenzie
Studies results showed that regardless of race, religion, or ethnicity, the behaviors of these neighborhoods are primarily controlled by the same socioeconomic pressures.
Made up of 5 concentric ‘rings’- social and physical deterioration towards the city’s center where population density is the highest, neighborhood conditions (wealthy vs. non-wealthy) had the largest determinant effect on criminal behavior.
(2008)- Kyle Crowder and Scott South
Study results showed that White families are more likely to move away from a certain area if they perceive the surrounding neighborhoods have become predominately racially diverse.
(2014)- Salomon Alococer Guajardo
Minority integration on intra-workgroup interactions
Larger workgroups with higher levels of employment disparity among Whites and minorities have lower level of intra-workgroup interactions

5. Methodology Cross-Sectional Research Design Population Utilized
Survey Census conducted at the request of the Virginia Sheriffs’ Institute (VSI)
Population Utilized
Requested 123 Sheriffs’ Offices in the Commonwealth of Virginia to Participate
85 Offices responded (n=85)
Responses collected through postal mail/ /fax/phone calls
Data Analysis
Frequency Table
Descriptive Analysis
Pearson’s r
Multiple Regression

6. Variables Tested Dependent variable- racial diversity
Category of Office Functions
Primary Traffic
Primary Death Investigation
Primary Narcotics
Primary Search and Rescue
Primary Communications
Primary Court Security
Primary Civil Process
Agency Participates in 911 System
Deputy Assigned to Work with Victims
In-house Attorney
Dependent variable- racial diversity
Operationalized as- Percentage Non-White Full-time Sworn Officers
Independent Variables= 31
Percentage of Female Full-time Sworn Officers
Deputy Population in Agency
Spanish-speaking Deputy
Agency Provides School Resource Officers (SROs)
Involved in Community-Oriented Policing
In-house Chaplain
Spanish-speaking Deputy
In-house Counseling Services
Incident Assault Weapons Used
Required to Wear Protective Body Armor
Deputies Take Vehicles Home
Functions of Computer-Crime Analysis
Functions of Computer-Record Keeping
In-house Exercise Facility
Percentage of Officers in Their Twenties
Percentage of Officers in Their Thirties
Extra Training Requirement
Extra Training Requirement- Class Hours
Entry Level Salary Schedule Minimum
Education Pay Incentive to Sworn Full-Time
Health Insurance Provided to Retired Deputy

7. Table 1. Deputy Sheriff Information per Sheriffs’ Office (n=85).
Variable
Number
Percent*
Percent of Non-White Full-Time Sworn Officers
0-20 23
59.9
21-40 10
26.0
41-60 2
5.2
61-80 1
2.6
81+
Missing 47
Percent Female
0-10 13
34.2
11-20 15
39.5
21-30 6
15.8
31-40 3
7.9
41+
Category of Office Functions
Full Service
19.2
Jail and Court
16.7
Law Enforcement and Court Service 39
50.0
Court Service 11
14.1 7
Spanish-Speaking Deputy
Yes 48
58.5 No 34
41.5
Personnel Education Pay Incentive 9
12.7 62
87.3 14

8. Table 1 (cont.). Deputy Sheriff Information per Sheriffs’ Office (n=85).
Variable
Number
Percent*
Percentages of Officers in Their Twenties 15
23.1 17
26.2 13
20.0 14
21.6
29.42+ 6
9.2
Missing 20
Percentages of Officers in Their Thirties 19
26.9
21.1 16
22.6
24.0
50.01+ 2
2.8
Involved in Community Oriented Policing Program
Yes 32
38.6 No 51
61.4
Health Insurance Provided to Retired Deputies 35
44.9 43
55.1 7

9. Table 2. Descriptive Analysis of Deputy Sheriff Information per Sheriff’s Office (n=85).
Variable
Mean
Standard Deviation
Percentage of Non-White Full-time Sworn Officers
21.60
.218
Percentage Female
15.9
.098
Deputy Population in Agency
967
1030
Percentage of Officers in Their Twenties
17.6
9.40
Percentage of Officers in Their Thirties
28.1
9.69
Extra Training Requirement
1.5
.50
Extra Training Requirement- Class Training Hours
110.1
220
Salary Schedule Entry Level Minimum
$35,794
4,995

10. Table 3. Pearson’s Correlation for Independent Variables and Dependent Variable of Percentage Non-White Full-Time Sworn Officers (n=85).
Variable r p
Percentage of Female Officers
0.581
.000
Primary Traffic
0.463
.003
Primary Death Investigation
0.592
Primary Narcotics
0.472
Primary Search and Rescue
0.413
.010
Primary Communications
0.352
.030
Primary Civil Process
0.558
Agency Participates in 911 System
0.531
.001
Agency Provides School Resource Officers
0.602
In-house Attorney
-0.380
.019
Incident Assault Weapons Used
0.379
.021
Functions of Computer-Crime Analysis
0.404
.012

11. Table 4. Regression Analysis to Explain Agency Diversity (Model 10).
Variables
Adjusted R² p
Percentage Female Officers
.678
.000
Primary Civil Process
Agency Provides School Resource Officer

12. Limitations & Recommendations
Accuracy of information filled out by agency representative
Number of responding agencies
Older data
Recommendations:
Longitudinal research design
On-site survey administration
Look at differences in part-time vs. full-time, sworn vs. un-sworn in terms of agency’s racial diversity

13. Questions?