1. Chapter 15 – Research in Criminal Justice Organizations

2.  Know the difference between basic and applied research  Understand the ways in which knowledge is utilized by criminal justice organizations  Describe the nature of social science research and knowledge utilization  Describe the limitations of data within criminal justice organizations  Define “In-House Research” and how it can be useful to criminal justice organizations  Know the various ways of conceptualizing and applying knowledge

3.  Distinguish between; o Basic research – seeks to understand fundamental issues of process and structure in ways that may not immediately be useful to practitioners. o Applied research – to develop knowledge that is directly useful to practitioners.  The difference lies in the researcher's initial intent.  It is entirely possible to o Apply the results from basic research, and o Use the knowledge from applied research to inform theory.

4.  Lovell (1988) found very little substantive use of research information by practitioners.  Research is more readily used in organizations that o Actively conduct their own research o When management is less crisis oriented o Are less formal, and o Encourage decentralized decision making.

5.  Researchers can encourage the use of research by remaining focused on practitioner needs.  Dissemination should be through ‘approachable’ media and formats.  Practitioners must be convinced of the value of research information.  Researchers and practitioners view the data and results differently.

6.  Researchers should be cautious about influencing public policy. o The available research is limited. o Most of the available research is not definitive enough to authoritatively influence public policy.  The results from single studies, regardless of how definitive they may seem, are not enough to justify wholesale policy change. o Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment o Ceasefire, COMPSTAT and Exile Projects

7.  National trend data may not be relevant to local issues.  Survey and summary data cannot be used to determine causality.  Criminal justice data, for the most part, is often inaccurate, incomplete and untimely.  Administrators should have the discipline to seek valid (accurate) and reliable (consistent) measures of social phenomena.

8.  The development of the capacity within organizations to address their own data and research needs.  Often exists in separate and stand alone units.  In house research tends to be more readily accepted by practitioners if: o Their research role is well defined, and o The credibility is based on technical expertise rather than position power.

9.  In research, data are often viewed merely as recorded observations.  Research knowledge is both rational and objective.  The use of research knowledge by practitioners may be influenced by o Politics o Budget concerns

10.  Because research is considered objective, research results can be used as a ‘weapon’ to o Affect change, or o Cause an agency to adopt a new policy  This sometimes causes managers to discourage research.

11.  Research can be used to develop deeper understandings of social phenomena. o Normative re-education strategies – impetus for change comes from collaboration rather than research o Action research – using research to effect specific change  Involvement in research tends to encourage the acceptance of its findings.

12.  In recent years criminal justice organization have entered into cooperative agreements with researchers (e.g. universities) to either create or supplement their capacity to conduct research.  These strategies are helpful if the dynamics of the partnership are well defined.

13.  Research reduces the probability of policy failure, but does not eliminate it.  Failure should not however be considered wholly bad.  Often the most innovative research findings emanate from failures.

14.  Learning from failure o Administrators should be self-reflective. o Define success more broadly o Purely rational solutions are not likely o Modesty can be virtuous. o Politics and criminal justice reform/practice cannot be separated. o Planning in isolation is a mistake. o Program implementation and context matter in criminal justice. o Involving line personnel is essential.

15.  Three trends o Growing use of data in the field o Increased interest in outcome based research among academics o Federal support for data based decision making  Programmatic trends o Problem oriented policing o Enhanced crime analysis and intelligence activities o Intelligence led policing

16.  Three themes addressed in this textbook. o To focus on what we know about criminal justice organizations from multiple perspectives o A systematic focus when viewing criminal justice administration o An understanding of criminal justice administration through the integration of theory

17.  Two types of research o Basic concerned with fundamental uses of process and structure to understand a phenomenon o Applied research – the use of knowledge that directly impacts practitioners and policy  Criminal justice organizations use knowledge in three ways o Instrumental o Symbolic o Conceptual  Researchers are concerned with statistical averages as a way to comprehend the typical.

18.  Practitioners emphasize the atypical in understanding organizational responses to crime.  Researchers must be careful in how the influence public policy, as definitive answers to crime may be ambiguous and not readily apparent.  Practitioners should use research to inform but not drive policy.  Criminal justice data tends to be crude. More valid and reliable variables are needed.  In-house research means the capacity of an organization to develop its own data and research needs.

19.  After several years of discussion and negotiation with the police officers union and elected officials your department has just implemented a four-ten shift schedule.  This schedule allows police officers to work four consecutive ten hour days and then enjoy a three day weekend every week.  The new shift schedule was very favorably received and was implemented without incident.

20.  A few months later the Chief of Police attended a training session hosted by the International Association of Chiefs of Police.  At this session a widely respected psychologist reported on his research about the effects of a four-ten work week on police officer productivity and stress.  He finds that four-ten shifts reduce overall productivity and increase stress related disease (e.g. hypertension and heart disease).

21.  The Chief regards the research as credible and asks you to “take a look at it and make any recommendations.”  Given what you learned in this chapter how would you advise the chief? Explain why.