U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Translational Research: Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice

NCJ Number
231616
Journal
Law Enforcement Executive Forum Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: 2007 Pages: 179-190
Author(s)
William Crawley, Ph.D.; Frank Hughes, Ph.D.; Lisa Dopke, B.S.; Harry Dolan, M.S.
Date Published
2007
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This article examines the gap that exists between criminal justice research and criminal justice practices.
Abstract
This article explores the use of translational research to bridge the gap between criminal justice research and criminal justice practice. Translational research was developed by professionals in the medical field and it offers vested parties the opportunity to work together to develop a more thorough understanding of a particular problem. Translational research involves active interactions across multiple agency/organizational players in addressing the shared problem. This article explores the development of translational research and how it can be used in criminal justice research. Relevant parties involved in translational research in criminal justice are identified, along with the benefits and advantages of using translational research. Limitations of the use of translational research in guiding policy and practice in criminal justice are discussed. Two tables are included in the article that list examples of translational research efforts in selected areas of criminal justice, and best practice for using translational research in criminal justice. Recommendations for future research are also discussed. Tables and references