IMPLICATIONS OF COLLABORATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES (FROM POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS - SELECTED READINGS - 2ND ED, 1978, BY PAUL F CROMWALL, JR AND GEORGE KEEFER - SEE NCJ-47600)

• NCJ Number: 47606
• Author(s): M BARD
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: West Publishing Co
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT FROM FBI LAW ENFORCEMENT BULLETIN (JULY 1974)

Annotation

THE IMPLICATIONS OF A TRUE COLLABORATION BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENTIST, THE LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTITIONER, AND SOCIETY ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

ALTHOUGH A COMMONALITY OF INTEREST EXISTS BETWEEN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES, INSTANCES OF TRUE COLLABORATION BETWEEN THE TWO ARE RARE. COLLABORATION IS MEANT AS A FUNCTIONAL COMMONALITY OF PURPOSE WHICH IMPLIES MUTUALITY, JOINT DECISIONMAKING, SHARED COMMITMENT, INTERCHANGEABILITY OF SOME FUNCTIONS, AND COACCOUNTABILITY. AN EARLY EFFORT AT SUCH COLLABORATION IS A RESEARCH PROJECT ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF THIRD-PARTY INTERVENTION APPROACHES USED BY POLICE WHEN DEALING WITH INTERPERSONAL CONFLICTS. FOR THIS PROJECT, OFFICERS FROM THE NORWALK (CONN.) POLICE DEPARTMENT AND RESEARCHERS AT THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK ARE MUTUALLY AND ACTIVELY WORKING TOGETHER ON EVERY STAGE OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS. THE OFFICERS INVOLVED CONSIDER THEMSELVES FIELD RESEARCH PANELISTS AND PARTICIPATE IN RESEARCH DESIGN AND DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS. SUCH COLLABORATION HAS A NUMBER OF POTENTIAL ADVANTAGES FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EXAMINING HUMAN BEHAVIOR IN A NATURALISTIC CONTEXT WHILE ALSO MAKING A DIRECT AND PRACTICAL CONTRIBUTION TO THE LIVES OF STUDY PARTICIPANTS. IN ADDITION, IT PRESENTS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ENLARGING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH METHODOLOGIES FROM THE RATHER RIGID LABORATORY EXPERIMENTAL TECHNIQUES TO MORE FLEXIBLE AND INNOVATIVE APPROACHES NECESSARY TO FIELD STUDY. FINALLY, COLLABORATION CAN PROVIDE THE BASIS FOR SOCIAL SCIENCE TRAINING THAT IS LESS ISOLATED, MORE IN TOUCH WITH REALITY, AND LESS DISTORTED BY ARTIFICIALITY. FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, COLLABORATION CAN BROADEN PERSPECTIVES AND REDUCE THE SAME SORT OF INSULAR THINKING AND PRACTICE WHICH OFTEN CHARACTERIZES SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH. FURTHER, COLLABORATION CAN FACILITATE RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR A BODY OF ABSTRACT KNOWLEDGE ON WHICH TO BASE PRACTICE AND CAN PROVIDE THE NECESSARY STEPS FOR BUILDING THAT BODY OF KNOWLEDGE. A KNOWLEDGE BASE FOR ACTION WILL ALSO RESULT IN GREATER PRACTITIONER SELF-CONFIDENCE AND JOB SATISFACTION BY FACILITATING MORE EFFECTIVE PRACTICE. BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SOCIAL SCIENCE ARE DIRECTLY CONCERNED WITH PEOPLE AND WITH ENHANCING LIFE. PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE THAT LAW ENFORCEMENT IS A UNIQUE HUMAN SERVICES DELIVERY SYSTEM BASED ON SUBSTANTIVE COMPETENCE AND COMPASSION CAN GENERATE A GREATER SENSE OF PUBLIC SECURITY. (JAP)