Abstract

There are indications that the Belgian police have higher absence rates compared to private sector organizations. To date, no thorough research has been conducted on the scope or nature of the absence rates within the Belgian police. In order to research this matter quantitatively, a foundation is eligible. Hence, current systematic review forms the essential starting point by identifying factors that can be linked to absenteeism in a police context, and more specifically in which manner they do. A predefined search strategy was used to select scientific studies with research data about absenteeism within a regular police context, collected after 2000, and published in a peer-reviewed journal in English, Dutch, or French. The article seeks to provide a founded overview of factors empirically linked to the phenomenon, critically assess the state-of-the-art, and highlight opportunities for further research regarding absenteeism in a police context.