NCJ Number
74873
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Ways to translate research on school violence and vandalism into useful legislation are outlined, with examples from the California legislature.
Abstract
When confronted with legislators' queries, the researcher should avoid generalities, but respond with data on offenders' characteristics, places of crime, or successful programs that are related to prevention. A research idea can be protected from partisan political conflict if it is presented as a process of gathering information about a problem, identifying effective strategies, and then allocating resources. Because little is actually known about the causes of school crime and vandalism, research projects which collect data and identify effective programs are most useful to legislators and administrators. Detailed technical presentations involving methodologies are not appropriate for discussions with legislators who are usually satisfied with general phrases and terms attesting to products. The media, and at certain times the legislature, ignore the researcher, but focus on first hand reports or stories on individual incidents. It can never be assumed that a well designed bill will take care of itself during the legislative process. The researcher who knows the most about its substance should attend all committee hearings and be involved with all amendments and changes. Few researchers view the legislative process as something they can easily accept. Alternatively, the legislature often sees the researcher as removed from reality and unable to provide useful solutions. In order to increase their influence, researchers should aggressively voice their interests to legislative committees and concentrate on more practical and applied orientations to social problems.