NCJ Number
53188
Journal
Home Office Research Bulletin Issue: 6 Dated: (1978) Pages: 4-22
Editor(s)
J CROFT
Date Published
1978
Length
19 pages
Annotation
PAPERS FROM AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY, SPONSORED BY THE BRITISH HOME OFFICE RESEARCH UNIT TO MAKE ITS 21ST ANNIVERSARY, ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
CONFERENCE PARTICIPANTS--HEADS OF GOVERNMENT RESEARCH UNITS, SENIOR FACULTY MEMBERS OF BRITISH UNIVERSITIES, CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATORS--FOCUSED LARGELY BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY ON WESTERN EUROPEAN CONCERNS. CONFERENCE PAPERS ADDRESS THE FOLLOWING TOPICS: THE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENT OF POLICY-ORIENTED RESEARCH; METHODS OF RESEARCH IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES FOR PRACTICE AND POLICY; STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE IMPLEMENTATION AND PLANNING OF POLICY OBJECTIVES; AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH IN FINLAND. EACH PRESENTATION IS FOLLOWED BY A SUMMARY OF THE RELATED DISCUSSION THAT TOOK PLACE AT THE CONFERENCE. AN INTRODUCTORY NOTE COMMENTS ON THE DIFFICULTY OF ESTABLISHING REALISTIC, POLICY-RELEVANT RESEARCH OBJECTIVES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COMPLEX POLICY MAKING PROCESSES THAT CHARACTERIZE MODERN DEMOCRATIC STATES. ADMINISTRATORS AND SOCIAL SCIENTISTS ARE URGED TO GUARD AGAINST THE TEMPTATION TO UNDERTAKE RESEARCH SIMPLY TO MAKE POLICY APPEAR RESPECTABLE OR TO USE RESEARCH TO IMPEDE RATHER THAN TO PROMOTE PRACTICAL ACTION. RESEARCHERS ARE ALSO REMINDED OF THE CUMULATIVE IMPACT OF THEIR FINDINGS AND OF THE MANNER IN WHICH SOCIAL RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS IDEOLOGICAL CONFLICTS IN SOCIETY. FOR SEPARATE ABSTRACTS OF THE PAPERS, SEE NCJ-53189-53191. (LKM)