Why Is Research in Criminal Justice Beneficial?

Research can aid criminal justice stakeholders with decision making.

Criminal justice research provides practitioners with data that helps them find ways system to operate more efficiently. Police, judges and correctional personnel use both quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate their services and programs.

History

Criminal justice professionals in the United States have been using research for more than a century, and perhaps much longer. West Chester University in Pennsylvania notes that psychological research in criminal justice began as early as 1901. The Federal Bureau of Investigation reports that extensive crime statistics have been collected by the National Crime Information Center since 1967.

Benefits

Police agencies use research data to improve patrols.

Law enforcement and other practitioners use crime research to improve their effectiveness. According to the National Institute of Justice, police use data on where crime occurs most frequently to target those areas for additional patrols. The National Criminal Justice Reference Service indicates that courts use data on social service programs to help measure successful outcomes.

Practical Considerations

Criminal justice research can have surprising results. The Police Foundation notes that the Kansas City Preventative Patrol study in 1972 found that routine patrols and police presence had little impact on overall crime rates or improvement in citizen satisfaction with police. As a result, the department was able to focus on other areas of need.

References

• West Chester University: Careers in Forensic Psychology
• Federal Bureau of Investigation: National Crime Information Center
• National Criminal Justice Reference Service: Spotlight Drug Courts
• National Insititute of Justice: Helping Law Enforcement Identify, Predict and Respond to Hot Spots
• Police Foundation: Community Policing