Production and Consumption of Research in Police Agencies in the United States, 1989-1990 (ICPSR 6315)

Time Period(s) View help for Time Period(s)

Study Purpose View help for Study Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe the dynamics of police research, how the role and practice of research differ among police agencies, and why this appears to happen. This study also attempts to answer, on a national scale, four fundamental questions: (1) What is police research? (2) Who does it? (3) Why is it done? and (4) What impact does it have? In addition to describing the overall contours of the conduct of research in U.S. police agencies, this study also sought to explore the organizational dynamics that might contribute to understanding the different roles research plays in various types of police organizations.

Study Design View help for Study Design

In this study, the researchers approached the question of "What is police research?" from three different but complementary directions. One part of the survey consisted of a series of questions asking respondents to identify the topics on which they worked during the past year. In another approach, a series of questions addressed methods and resources employed in the course of doing research. The third technique was to ask respondents to indicate their agreement or disagreement with a series of statements that characterized the nature of research as it was practiced in their agencies. In formulating the questions, a list of topic areas was prepared from the researchers' own experience in planning and research that was supplemented with results from early pretesting on a small number of agencies not in the national sample. Surveys were mailed during the last two weeks in August 1990 to each of the 777 police agencies selected, resulting in 491 surveys for analysis. In October 1990, all police agencies that had not returned a questionnaire were sent a follow-up letter requesting return of the survey. The survey instrument was offered to agencies in two formats: one that phrased questions in terms of "the research and planning unit," and another that phrased questions in terms of "those responsible for research and planning." Agencies were instructed to choose the first format if they had a formal research and planning unit, the second if they did not.

Sample View help for Sample

The national survey was based on a 50-percent sample of all United States police agencies employing more than 50 sworn officers, as well as a selected sample of 91 small municipal police agencies, each of which employed between 35 and 49 sworn officers. This produced a total initial sample of 777 police agencies, of which 491 (63 percent) returned survey questionnaires.

Universe View help for Universe

All police agencies in the United States.

Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation

Data Source View help for Data Source

Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)

Description of Variables View help for Description of Variables

Respondents were first asked to identify the extent to which they were involved in each of 26 distinct topic areas within the past year and next to describe their research topics by listing the five activities that consumed most of their time during the year. Another question asked respondents to describe briefly any projects currently being undertaken that might be of interest to other police agencies. A second approach sought to describe police research not in terms of the agenda of topics studied but in terms of the methods police used to study those topics. Five questions queried respondents on various aspects of the methods of police research. A third section called for respondents to react to a series of ten statements characterizing the nature of research as practiced in their agencies. Another section probed for information about the characteristics of those responsible for research in their agency, such as whether the research staff reported to the agency head and, if not, to whom they reported. To determine what initiates police research in the police agencies surveyed, respondents were asked to evaluate on a 4-point scale the degree to which 14 factors played a role in initiating research in their agencies. In assessing the impact of research on police agencies, the researchers relied on six questions. The mix and phrasing of these questions were designed to control and minimize the phenomenon of inflating the actual impact of research.

Response Rates View help for Response Rates

This study produced a total initial sample of 777 police agencies, of which 491 (63 percent) returned survey questionnaires.

Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales

Several Likert-type scales were used.

Original Release Date View help for Original Release Date

1997-02-13

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