Journal Article Review: active shooter Assignment Instructions
Overview
Active shooter incidents have proliferated both in schools and other public places in recent years.
Since the shooting at Columbine High School in 1999, the FBI has recorded dozens of shootings
at all types of schools involving students, former students, and others not affiliated with the school.
Active shooters date back even further back and include the University of Texas tower shootings in
1966. Charles Whitman killed 11 and wounded 31 more after killing his wife and mother. In 1991,
George Hennard drove his truck into a Luby’s Cafeteria in Texas, shot and killed 23 people,
wounding 27 more. More recently, in 2017 Stephen Paddock killed 60 and wounded over 400
concert goers from a Las Vegas hotel room. Omar Mateen killed 49 people at an Orlando nightclub
in 2016. These shootings, added to the 2012 massacre in Newtown, CT and the Virginia Tech
massacre in 2007, create a significant challenge to responding law enforcement officers. Solo
entry is one of the more contentious policy issues that arise from active shooters. The implications
to law enforcement training and practice are enormous; we live in a country where freedom is the
most treasured right. How does law enforcement crisis response preserve those freedoms while
developing a measured and effective response to active shooting situations? What are the non-
negotiables in terms of policy and practice? Consider these questions as you complete this week’s
article review.
Instructions
For this assignment, the student will select a peer reviewed journal article from one of the
databases located in the University’s online library. The article will relate in some way to the
reading material (use of force) the student has reviewed for this particular module. After the
student reads the article, they should download the Journal Article Review Template. The student
will then complete a Journal Article Review for the article they read. You are not reviewing the
article in the sense that you are assessing it, but rather you are reviewing it so you can provide
analysis and relate to your reader the main point and how they relate to the area of crisis
intervention. The assignment is not to be too much shorter or longer than the example in the
template. Ensure that you focus on the critical thinking piece of discussing implications the article
has on criminal justice as this is the most important aspect of this process. How does the article’s
content relate to the field of law enforcement? How does it influence policy and practice? This can
be accomplished in the comments, recommendations, and conclusion sections of the assignment.
Use an APA citation for the article you choose; you may provide additional reference support if you
choose to, but it is not required.
REVIEW OF A JOURNAL ARTICLE: AN EXAMPLE
o Bibliography (in APA format)
Author, F. (1776). Effects of classroom testing by microcomputer. Journal of ABCDE, 99(9), 9-19.
o Problem
Microcomputers are being used for a variety of purposes, but research about their instructional
effectiveness lags behind adoption rates for the technology. Further, there is a limited research base
about the effects of microcomputers in vocational agriculture on learning in the affective, cognitive,
and psychomotor domains. The research base is even more shallow when effects of testing students by
computer technology are explored.
Comments: The problem statements agreed with the title and seemed to be of educational significance.
The problem was not clearly visible to the average reader, and it required several readings to establish
why the researchers felt this study needed to be done. It was limited to the researchers’ capabilities and
resources.
o Review of Literature
Student conducts a review of the literature and finds at least three relevant studies that have been
conducted in an area of crisis intervention. Students will include a succinct summary of the research
and how it informs the study under review. This summary will help to show the connection between
the body of research, problem statement, hypotheses/research question (s), and the current study.
o Objectives
Specifically, the study sought to determine: (a) the effect taking an objective final examination by
microcomputer would have upon student cognitive performance; (b) the effect this method of testing
would have on student attitude about computers immediately after the examination; and (c) whether
this method of testing would require more time than conventional paper and pencil testing procedure.
Comment: The author’s objectives were answerable, and they chose to obtain them by testing null
hypotheses. These hypotheses were testable and served to help explain the problem.
o Hypothesis
This research tested hypotheses about how effectively microcomputers could be used to administer an
objective classroom test to students who had studied and used computer technology.
Comments: The purpose was clearly and concisely stated and agreed with the title. It was limited to the
researchers’ capabilities and resources.
o Methodology
The treatment followed the post-test only control group design; consequently, the study involved two
replications. Both replications were conducted during a Nostate State University course. A two-stage
random assignment was used in assigning groups and treatments. The three dependent variables
measured in this study were: (a) minutes to complete the test; (b) score on the test; and (c) score on the
attitudes about computers.
Comments: The methods used to gather the data for this article were clearly explained. The
instruments and development were explained, and the reliability coefficients of all possible tests were
given. The population used was adequate. No discussion of the statistical techniques was given in this
particular section.
o Findings
Personal data by treatment and control group was provided in table form and explained with a short
narrative.
Hypothesis one: A one-way analysis of covariance revealed that the two groups were not significantly
different in terms of their scores on the 35-item final examination.
Hypothesis two: The mean attitudinal scores of the two groups were positive in both replications, and
there was no significant difference in the two groups’ attitudes about computers.
Hypothesis three: There was a significant difference in minutes required to complete the exam in
replication one; however, there was no significant difference in replication two.
Comments: The findings were well organized, sectioned, and reported objectively. The tables were
well organized but, due to the difficulty of the statistical tests employed, would not stand alone to the
average reader.
o Summary
Students should provide a succinct summary of the study in this section prior to providing the
summary of the article/study. There was no summary given. Or the author’s summary was misguided
because…
o Conclusions
Conclusions and implications were formulated with the knowledge that subjects for this study used
microtechnology extensively during a computer applications course. In this investigation, final
examination scores were independent of the method of testing. The method of testing was not a
determinant of how students felt about computers. Since time required was not consistent over the two
replications, the methods of testing as well as other factors appear to influence the time requirements
of test completion.
Comments: The conclusions were based on the findings, logically stated, and included a discussion of
implications to criminal justice in general and law enforcement in particular. What does the article
mean to law enforcement leaders and officers? How does it influence recruiting, hiring, training, and
leadership?
o Recommendations
"Additional research is needed in other classroom settings to see if consistent findings about cognitive
performances, time requirements, and attitude are achieved."
Comments: The recommendations were limited to a call for additional research in the area. What are
the student’s recommendations for future research and how would it impact crisis intervention in law
enforcement?
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Journal review
Name
Course
Institution
Date
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Journal Review
Liqun Cao Ph.D. (2002) Curbing Police Brutality: What Works? A Reanalysis of Citizen
Complaints at the Organizational Level.
Problem
Cases of excessive use of force by law enforcers have been a topic of discussion across
the United States in the recent past. Police officers have committed brutal acts, both physical and
verbal, against the general public, and many cases have been reported. Innocent civilians have
lost lives and others injured as a result of careless police active shootings. Any action that
amounts to harassing civilians or degrading them is termed as brutal and is unwarranted. This
behavior negatively affects the public confidence in the police force and reduces officer morale.
It also creates animosity between the police and the civilians and also negatively paints the
police agencies. The United States is a democratic country, and human rights and freedoms are
enshrined in the constitution. Therefore the police force should enforce law and order while
protecting these freedoms. The police agencies have to put measures that ensure the officers are
sensitized on how to execute their duties without victimizing citizens.
Comments: The statements of the problems rhymed with the article's title in that they seek to
address the problem of what should be done to reduce or do away with the cases of police
brutality. The study was significant because the issue at hand is protecting the lives and freedom
of the people.
Literature review
The author of the article researched the topic and found several other sources with written
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literature on the topic. The article proposes two models that should be used to curb police
brutality. The professionalism model proposes that only the most honest, obedient, and best-
trained people are recruited into the police force. This model focuses on the personal aspects of
the police officers from the training academies. The bureaucratic model says that police officer's
conduct should be closely monitored through the issuance of rules and regulations and
supervision of their activities.
Objectives
Particularly, this study sought to identify whether personal traits of police officers from
training academies affect their conduct in service. For example, whether considering
qualifications such as integrity, education levels, or the quality of training they receive affects
their behavior. In addition, the conduct of a police officer is affected either by the organizational
behavior, availability of good role models, and close supervision affecting police officers'
conduct.
Comments: The author carried out a null hypothesis to answer the objectives. The hypotheses
were testable; hence the problem was explained.
Hypothesis: The author tested whether there is any relationship between police misconduct and
their levels of honesty, education, and training. Also, he tested whether organizational behavior
and characteristics can influence the conduct of police officers.
Comments: The intention was clearly and precisely stated; hence it agreed with the title.
Methodology
The author used stratified sampling techniques to survey all state, county, and local
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police agencies. The research is by far one of the complete studies on cases of police brutality.
The dependent variables in the study included; the police abuse of power in different capacities
and the rate of complaints of excessive use of force by citizens per hundred officers.
Comments: The methods used to gather data and information for this article were clearly
explained. The population used was adequate.
Findings
Tobit model was used to analyze the public complaint rate against excessive force and
abuse by the police. There is a substantial variation between the variables, public complaints, and
excessive force by the police.
Comments: The findings were reported and presented objectively, and the tables were also well
organized.
Summary
In summary, this study has identified that organizational behaviors and characteristics can
influence people's behavior in the police force. Therefore, the police administration should
consider laying a strong ethical and behavioral foundation for the officers as early as they are in
training.
Conclusions
Conclusions and implications were made to know that this article can make policies and
changes that could bring sanity to the police force. The information was obtained from the
citizens who receive services from the police force.
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Comments: The conclusions were made from findings, logically analyzed data from all the
states and local police agencies.
Recommendations
Future studies can consider whether police remuneration affects their attitude towards
their job and if it could lead to them turning violent.
Comments: Low income for police officers can frustrate them due to huge family
responsibilities and depression. Additional research is needed to evaluate if there is any
relationship between income and police brutality.
