NCJ Number
59421
Journal
American Behavioral Scientist Volume: 22 Issue: 6 Dated: SPECIAL ISSUE (JULY/AUGUST 1979) Pages: 697-732
Date Published
1979
Length
36 pages
Annotation
AN EXAMINATION OF THE WAYS IN WHICH CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH AFFECTS APPROPRIATE AGENCIES IN EVALUATING AND PLANNING THEIR ACTIVITIES IS UNDERTAKEN IN THIS ARTICLE.
Abstract
THE FACTICITY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM--WHAT THE PRACTITIONERS THINK THEY ARE DOING, HOW, AND FOR WHAT SOCIETAL BENEFITS AND ENDS, AND WHAT THE PUBLIC IS WILLING TO GRANT THEM--IS BEING ALTERED BY RESEARCH. IN ADDITION, THE REFLEXIVITY OF THOUGHT, WHAT PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THEIR THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS, IS SLOWLY BRINGING ABOUT CHANGE. EVEN THOUGH IMPORTANT WORK WAS BEING DONE IN POLICE RESEARCH DURING THE 1950'S, THE MID- AND LATE-1960'S SAW THE EMERGENCE OF MASSIVE FEDERAL AND FOUNDATION FUNDING FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH, MOST NOTABLE BEING THE CREATION OF LEAA. IN SPITE OF THIS GROWING FUNDING AND THE AUGMENTATION OF POLICE FORCES (A 75 PERCENT INCREASE FROM 1965-1975), OFFICIALLY MEASURED CRIME INCREASED 120 PERCENT DURING THIS PERIOD. AT THAT TIME, LEAA SHIFTED ITS EMPHASIS FROM CRIME REDUCTION TO IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. DURING THE LAST 10 YEARS, SIGNIFICANT RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED IN THE AREAS OF ORGANIZATIONAL INNOVATION AND CHANGE AND EVALUATION PRACTICES. WHILE THE EXCLUSIVE CRIME FOCUS OF POLICE HAS SERVED TO REINFORCE THEIR USE OF PARAMILITARY ORGANIZATIONAL MODELS, RESEARCH HAS ESTABLISHED THAT SUCH AN ORGANIZATIONAL APPROACH IS INEFFECTIVE SINCE POLICE ALLOCATE ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF THEIR TIME TO CRIME WORK. THEREFORE, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE PROFOUND DIFFICULTIES IN EVALUATING PEOPLE-PROCESSING ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, INCREASING PUBLIC PRESSURE FOR JUSTIFICATION OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURES REQUIRES THAT THE POLICE DEVELOP EFFECTIVE EVALUATION TECHNIQUES. NOTES AND REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED. (KCP)