CJAM M6A1

C H A P T E R F I F T E E N

RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ORGANIZATIONS

Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management

Learning Objectives

 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

Knowledge for What?

 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.

Criminal Justice Organization Knowledge Utilization

 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.

The Researcher Knowledge Utilization

 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.

Social Science Research Knowledge Utilization

 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

Data Knowledge Utilization

 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.

In-House Research

 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.

Knowledge as Truth

 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

Knowledge as Power

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.

Knowledge as Understanding

 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.

Knowledge and Research Partnerships

 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.

Knowledge and Failure

 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.

Knowledge and Failure

 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.

Advances in Criminal Justice Research

 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

Knowledge The Future of Criminal Justice Administration

 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

Chapter Summary

 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.

Chapter Summary

 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.

Thinking Point and Question

 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.

Thinking Point and Question

 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).

Thinking Point and Question

 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.