Police Use Of Research Evidence: Recommendations For Improvement (springerbriefs In Criminology)

This brief takes the reader through a 10-year journey of seeking to embed Evidence Based Policing within one of the largest police forces in the world - the Metropolitan Police Service in London, England - from the __inside__. As a topic, Evidence Based Policing has generated considerable recent interest and academic discussion - although largely remains without a consistent guiding voice for police practitioners. The aim of the brief is to expand upon the current discussions and address this gap within the day-to-day reality of policing where translation of research is a routine part of the day job. The book is organised into three sections: the first explores receptivity to evidence, asking practitioners to locate where they are on a continuum of evidence based craftwork; the second presents the importance of programme integrity and effective implementation in police craft; and the final section explores the challenges in professionalising policing and offers a more nuanced discussion around what it really means to be evidenced based. Throughout the brief the authors promote an insider __whole-force__ strategic approach in landing evidence into policing 'business as normal' as opposed to an external academic or educated individual officer translation approach. Over the course of the monograph the authors draw upon their decade of experience providing case studies, toolkits, exercises, anecdotes and research experience as an inspiration for police practitioners both to practically support and inspire better evidence based working as part of the day job. Foreword 6 Executive Summary 10 Acknowledgements 14 Contents 16 About the Authors 18 Introduction: Starting the Conversation 19 Foundations for Receptivity: Thinking About the Where and the How of Police Work 24 Step One: Appreciation of Evidence in the Business of Policing 25 Where Do You Find Yourself and Your Development/Engagement with Operational Decisions? 27 Step Two: Recognising the Usefulness of the Logic of Problem Solving 31 Step Three: Digging Down and Understanding the Problem and Its Context 34 Step Four: A Thinking Professional 37 Step Five: Binding the Problem Solving—Implementation 39 Example or Thought Exercise 40 Now You Have Begun, in Summary ... 40 The Case for Programme Integrity in Police Craft: You Can’t Do Science Without Being Systematic 41 Example 1: An Evaluation of a Reducing Gang Violence Project—The ‘Pathways Initiative’ 43 Example 2: Evaluating a ‘Diamond’ Approach to Integrated Offender Management 46 Evaluation in the Eye of the Storm: Reflections on the Diamond Evaluation 49 Influencing Programme Integrity from the Inside ... and Widening the Conversation Outside 52 Final Thoughts on Programme Integrity 54 Embracing the Challenges in Professionalising the Police Profession: Learning to Work with Evidence Differently 55 The Challenge in Making Effective Research Influence Policing 57 Nudging the Police: Rank and Parochial Stubbornness 62 Devoting Time to Persuasion: Communication and Challenging Business as Usual 66 The Need for Standards of Evidence Within Evidence-Based Policing 67 What Should Be the Balance Between ‘Craft Experience’ and ‘Scientific Evidence’ 70 Training, Time and Technical Ability to Allow Breathing Space for Evidence-Based Policing 71 A Demanding Job: Why Don’t We Have the Time to Read? 73 Technical Ability of More than Police Officers 75 And Finally, Over to You .... 78 References 79 Index 82 Front Matter....Pages i-xvii Introduction: Starting the Conversation....Pages 1-5 Front Matter....Pages 7-7 Step One: Appreciation of Evidence in the Business of Policing....Pages 9-14 Step Two: Recognising the Usefulness of the Logic of Problem Solving....Pages 15-17 Step Three: Digging Down and Understanding the Problem and Its Context....Pages 19-21 Step Four: A Thinking Professional....Pages 23-24 Step Five: Binding the Problem Solving—Implementation....Pages 25-26 Front Matter....Pages 27-28 Example 1: An Evaluation of a Reducing Gang Violence Project—The ‘Pathways Initiative’....Pages 29-31 Example 2: Evaluating a ‘Diamond’ Approach to Integrated Offender Management....Pages 33-35 Evaluation in the Eye of the Storm: Reflections on the Diamond Evaluation....Pages 37-39 Influencing Programme Integrity from the Inside ... and Widening the Conversation Outside....Pages 41-43 Front Matter....Pages 45-46 The Challenge in Making Effective Research Influence Policing....Pages 47-51 Nudging the Police: Rank and Parochial Stubbornness....Pages 53-56 Devoting Time to Persuasion: Communication and Challenging Business as Usual....Pages 57-57 The Need for Standards of Evidence Within Evidence-Based Policing....Pages 59-61 What Should Be the Balance Between ‘Craft Experience’ and ‘Scientific Evidence’....Pages 63-63 Training, Time and Technical Ability to Allow Breathing Space for Evidence-Based Policing....Pages 65-66 A Demanding Job: Why Don’t We Have the Time to Read?....Pages 67-68 Technical Ability of More than Police Officers....Pages 69-71 And Finally, Over to You ........Pages 73-73 Back Matter....Pages 75-79