NCJ Number
54752
Journal
Australian and New Zealand Journal of Criminology Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 209-218
Date Published
1978
Length
10 pages
Annotation
THE RESEARCH APPROACH OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE (NILECJ) IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATION OF ITS WORK REPORTED AND IN TURN EVALUATED, WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR AUSTRALIA DISCUSSED.
Abstract
AN OVERVIEW IS GIVEN OF THE ROLE, EXPENDITURES, AND POLICIES OF NILECJ, THE RESEARCH ARM OF LEAA. RESULTS ARE ALSO REPORTED FROM A U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES COMMITTEE EVALUATION OF THE WORK OF NILECJ OVER THE 8.5 YEARS SINCE ITS BEGINNING. THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSIONS WERE REACHED: (1) THE QUALITY OF FUNDED RESEARCH HAD BEEN MEDIOCRE, LARGELY DUE TO SUBSTANDARD RESEARCH DESIGNS AND ADMINISTRATIVE FAILINGS; (2) LITTLE OF THE RESEARCH HAD BEEN USEFUL TO PRACTITIONERS IN PLANNING OR PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT; (3) A COHERENT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE HAD NOT BEEN CREATED WITH A VIEW TO APPLYING IT TO PROBLEMSOLVING; AND (4) ADMINISTRATION SHOWED A WEAK ADVISORY PANEL SYSTEM, INEFFECTIVE REVIEW PROCEDURES, EXCLUSION OF IMPORTANT SEGMENTS OF THE RESEARCH COMMUNITY, AND VULNERABILITY TO OUTSIDE PRESSURES DETRIMENTAL TO RESEARCH. THE EVALUATION OF NILECJ IS CRITICIZED TO SHOW THAT IT FAILED IN MANY OF THE WAYS THAT NILECJ WAS JUDGED TO HAVE FAILED: LACK OF CLEAR EVALUATION OBJECTIVES AND CRITERIA AND SUBJECTIVE PERCEPTIONS UNSUPPORTED BY OBJECTIVE DATA. THE MOST VALUABLE FEATURE OF THE EVALUATION REPORT WAS ITS PRESENTATION OF ELEMENTS ESSENTIAL TO AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM OF SPONSORED RESEARCH; I.E., ADVISORY BODIES, STAFF CAPABILITIES, BALANCE BETWEEN BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH, AND AUTONOMY AND INDEPENDENCE FROM POLITICAL PRESSURES. WAYS IN WHICH AUSTRALIA MIGHT BENEFIT FROM THE UNITED STATES EXPERIENCE WITH SPONSORED RESEARCH ARE DISCUSSED. THE NEED FOR A LONGER TIME SPAN FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF RESEARCH RESULTS AND THE NEED FOR A RESEARCH PROGRAM TO DEVELOP PRAGMATICALLY ACCORDING TO THE EXPERTISE AVAILABLE ARE INDICATED. THE PRESENT USE OF ADVISORY BODIES IN THE AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH EFFORT AND THE EXISTENCE OF A HIGH DEGREE OF AUTONOMY AN INDEPENDENCE FROM POLITICAL INFLUENCES FREES IT FROM SOME OF THE FAILINGS OF THE UNITED STATES RESEARCH PROGRAM. (RCB) SOME OF THE FAILINGS OF THE UNITED STATES RESEARCH PROGRAM. (RCB)