Summary
"This thesis examines undercover (UC) police training enhancements. Interviews of four academics and eight UC operatives provide a collective voice to candidate selection, assessment, learning, and UC dilemmas. Observation of scenario training confirmed interview findings: scenarios provide an essential ambiguous environment to practice false presentation/hidden motives, and to identify anticipated dangers in the actual UC environment; lecture and feedback counterbalance experiential lessons to shape officer knowledge of UC stress and judicial and societal expectations; and operatives balance goal attainment, decisions under stress, and safety strategies within the rule of law. I conclude that course efficacy is found in agent skill, reduced agency liability, and effective UC infiltration of insular organized crime schemes. Advanced stress management skills and psychological information are recommended for operatives to identify and monitor mental health vulnerabilities. Course enhancements include exhaustive feedback to correct self directed learning errors and to generalize skills within singular scenarios."--Abstract.