NCJ Number
140786
Journal
Canadian Police College Journal Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: (1992) Pages: 263-281
Date Published
1992
Length
19 pages
Annotation
The intent is to explain the current trend towards the use of public opinion surveys by the police and to consider the implications of increased survey use for the evaluation community.
Abstract
Recent interest in public opinion surveys can be understood in the context of the wider structural trends of community policing and increased use of technology. To demonstrate social acceptance of their organizations, police managers undertake public opinion surveys as their use reflects both value-rational social action and purposive- rational social action and thus increases the legitimacy of police organizations. Public opinion surveys offer several potential benefits to evaluators of police organizations. They provide information about overall agency performance and serve as an integral component in the development of service standards and assessment of client satisfaction; prove an efficient use of resources and make available pre- implementation and post-implementation measures of program impacts for both treatment and control areas; and create an opportunity for collaboration with university-based researchers and thus bring into the police organization valuable technical expertise in exchange for access to information. Examples of public opinion surveys which address the police are drawn from Canada, the United States, Britian, and Australia to illustrate their usage. 90 references