NCJ Number
53190
Journal
Home Office Research Bulletin Issue: 6 Dated: (1978) Pages: 14-19
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
NINE SUGGESTIONS FOR MAKING SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH A MORE EFFECTIVE TOOL IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS ARE OFFERED.
Abstract
KEY FEATURES OF POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH PROCESSES ARE IDENTIFIED, AND UKASES (EDICTS) REGARDING HOW THESE PROCESSES SHOULD BE RESTRUCTURED ARE PRESENTED AS A BASIS FOR DISCUSSION. THE UKASES ARE AS FOLLOWS: (1) RESEARCHERS SHOULD BE PART OF THE POLICY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS, NOT JUST SERVANTS TO DECISIONMAKERS; (2) POLICY DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE A CONTINUOUS PROCESS; (3) ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD LEARN TO PLAN OVER LONGER PERIODS OF TIME AND SHOULD HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF LONG-TERM OBJECTIVES; (4) RESEARCHERS SHOULD PRESENT THEIR FINDINGS IN A FORM THAT IS CONCISE AND INTELLIGIBLE TO THE LAYMAN AND SHOULD STATE POLICY-RELATED IMPLICATIONS IN THEIR PRESENTATIONS; (5) RESEARCH CONCLUSIONS SHOULD BE WIDELY PUBLICIZED; (6) RESEARCHERS ENGAGED IN EXPLORATORY RESEARCH SHOULD BE AWARE OF THE IMPLICATIONS OF THEIR WORK FOR FUTURE POLICY DEVELOPMENTS; (7) AN APPRECIATION OF RESEARCH SHOULD BE TAUGHT IN UNIVERSITIES AND SHOULD BE THE SUBJECT OF PUBLIC DEBATE; (8) RESEARCH MANAGERS SHOULD SELECT ISSUES FOR EVALUATIVE RESEARCH SO THAT RESEARCH RESOURCES CAN BE USED TO DETERMINE HOW POLICIES HAVE OPERATED; AND (9) RESEARCH PRIORITIES SHOULD BE REORDERED. A NOTE ON CANADA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCH PROGRAM IS INCLUDED, TOGETHER WITH A SUMMARY OF THE DISCUSSION THAT FOLLOWED PRESENTATION OF THESE SUGGESTIONS AT AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH AND POLICY. THE DISCUSSION DEALT WITH SEVERAL THEMES THAT RECURRED THROUGHOUT THE CONFERENCE: THE RELATIONSHIP OF RESEARCHERS TO POLICYMAKERS AND ADMINISTRATORS; PROBLEMS IN COMMUNICATING RESEARCH FINDINGS EFFECTIVELY; AND TENSION BETWEEN ADMINISTRATORS WITH SHORT-TERM PERSPECTIVES AND RESEARCHERS WITH LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVES. (LKM)