NCJ Number
191236
Journal
Criminal Justice: The International Journal of Policy and Practice Volume: 1 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2001 Pages: 277-300
Editor(s)
George Mair,
Tim Newburn
Date Published
August 2001
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This article explores the development of prison drugs policy since 1980 and the role of research, evidence, and knowledge within this development.
Abstract
This article is concerned with the role of evidence, research, and knowledge in the recognition, definition and framing of drugs issues in prisons and in the development, implementation and reformulation of policy. It is based on a study of policy networks around prison drugs issues. As the drugs issue in prison has become more politicized and policies have become more explicit and defined over time, research and evidence have become increasingly important dimensions within the policy process. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with key policy players and an analysis of documentary materials, this article examined research utilization in the development of contemporary prison drugs policy since 1980, situating this process within its political, economic, and social contexts. In order to make sense of the interplay between research and policy in this area, the analysis employed the various models of research utilization put forward by Carol Weiss (Weiss, 1986). Within the current context of increasing managerialism and new commitments to evidence-based policy making, the article concludes by suggesting that researchers become more active at all stages of the policy process. Notes, references