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Uniforms are an important element of policing. Manipulations to police uniforms, including via the addition, removal and/or alteration of equipment, can impact public perceptions of officers. As part of the present research, we sought to qualitatively assess how the public interpret police uniforms. We asked a large sample of Canadians (N = 1,997) to freeform describe what they believed to be the most important components of a police uniform. Using a detailed codebook, we then coded participants' responses to identify patterns. Among the themes identified, participants most frequently referenced equipment and presentation as well as institutional recognition as the most important components of a police uniform. Participants also frequently referenced the functionality of the uniform as well as its image. We discuss our results in the context of policing research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This eight-agency case study analyzes the characteristics of four high-and four low-performing police agencies, as measured by their long-term crime clearance rates. High and low performers were identified through a systematic assessment of 30 years of clearance rates of robberies, aggravated assaults, burglaries, and homicides for the largest 100 police departments in the United States. Researchers then conducted in-depth case studies of eight of these agencies—four of the highest and four of the lowest ranking in terms of their investigative practices. Comparisons of high-and low-performing agencies reveal differences in organizational structure; leadership and resources; selection, training, and performance review for investigators; case assignment and investigative processes; and community interactions. These findings provide direct guidance to agencies seeking to strengthen their investigative organization and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars and practitioners who develop evidence-based crime policy debate on how best to translate criminological knowledge into better criminal justice practices. These debates highlight the counterpoised problems of over-selling the contribution of scientific evidence; or, alternately, overemphasizing the limitations of science. This challenge attends any attempt to translate research findings into practice; however, and problematically, in criminology this challenge is rarely approached in a theoretically coherent fashion. This article therefore seeks to theorize uncertainty in criminology by examining insights on communicating scientific uncertainty in other fields, and applying these insights specifically to the field of Evidence-Based Policing (EBP). Taking the position that all science is inherently uncertain, we examine the following four aspects of the field: the particular uncertainties of criminology, variance in receptivity to research, the lack of evidence regarding effective communication, and the boundaries of evidence. Building on this analysis, we set out the normative challenge of how researchers should characterize and balance the implications and limits of scientific findings in the decision-making process. Looking ahead, we argue for the need to invest in an empirical project for determining meaningful strategies to express research evidence to decision-makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation and modern slavery have experienced an unprecedented boom over the past decade due to the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly in digital and networked environments. These developments have created new opportunities for human exploitation and illegal profiteering. Adult Services Websites (ASWs), online platforms on which sex workers post profiles advertising their services, are a key conduit for human traffickers to exploit their victims. Alongside profiles of independent sex workers, traffickers are posting false ASW profiles, advertising the forced services of their victims and camouflaging these false profiles amongst legitimate adverts. In response, police practitioners are proactively investigating ASWs to identify suspect profiles. A key obstacle for practitioners, however, is to distinguish between ASW profiles posted by independent, consenting sex workers advertising their services, and those posted by traffickers exploiting their victims. The exploratory study presented in this paper seeks to address this particular challenge. Working with a British police force, the researchers in this study gathered existing knowledge on the traffickers' use of ASW profiles to create a bespoke tool of analysis, the Sexual Trafficking Identification Matrix (STIM). The aim of this tool has been to identify 'risk indicators' on ASW profiles and to flag these for potential police investigation. This paper presents the results of this exploratory study and its four stages. Furthermore, more broadly, it reflects on the use of evidence-based tools by law enforcement to tackle complex domains of offending such as those of human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores organisational challenges of embedding 'Evidence-Based Policing' (EBP) using a mixed methods design sampled across a range of ranks/roles, in a case study UK police force. Key organisational constraints identified include limited awareness of/access to research evidence, lack of resources, capability concerns, and challenges related to organisational culture and leadership. Organisational constraints were disproportionately experienced by lower ranking officers and staff, and senior officers were not fully cognisant of these challenges. There is a need to better equip officers and staff of all ranks to engage with EBP and address the identified organisational challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hannah's role includes oversight of the YJB's research and evaluation activity. Hannah was previously a Senior Researcher at What Works for Children's Social Care where she led on pilot, implementation, and process evaluation of a range of programmes seeking to improve outcomes for children with a social worker. This work aimed to build the evidence base for how and why interventions bring about change. Hannah has also previously worked as a Government Social Researcher in the Early Years team at the Department for Education, where she led on the longitudinal Study of Early Education and Development, designing evaluation for the early years social mobility programme and for education recovery programmes following the Covid-19 pandemic, and translating research evidence to inform policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dr Rosie Travers is a psychologist who has worked in criminal justice since the 1980s. She joined the Prison Service as an Applied Criminological Psychologist and worked at HMP Wandsworth for four years before moving into national research and development roles. Rosie now leads the Evidence-Based Practice Team (EBPT) at HMPPS, having been a member since its inception around ten years ago. Rosie's team sits within the Insights Group in the Strategy, Planning and Performance Directorate at HMPPS. She and her colleagues are responsible for critically evaluating the evidencebase and communicating this to colleagues to inform and direct operational policy and practice. The team is expert in sourcing, synthesising, and translating evidence to shape everyday practice in prisons, probation, and youth custody, and to inform strategic development. Where there are gaps in knowledge or understanding, the team can additionally undertake research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This current edition of the Prison Service Journal has provided insights into the need for, and application of, evidence-based practice within prisons and the wider Criminal Justice System. It is clear from the articles included that if we want to improve the outcomes for the people within our care, then using evidence to inform practice and policy decisions is the best approach. While the use of evidence-based practice has gained momentum within organisations and Government departments, direct promotion to service users is less common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of intervention design is to deliver services that are wanted, that work and that will scale. If people do not need what you are delivering or don't respond in the way you expect, then your intervention will fail. If you are not delivering the change that is expected by government, then your intervention is wasting public money. If your intervention can't practically be delivered or scaled up, then it is not delivering public value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based practice (EBP) involves the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of the best available evidence when making decisions.1 2 This involves integrating multiple sources of evidence in a structured approach, combining research evidence, clinical expertise, and operational insights in the context of user characteristics, culture, and preferences.3 The three main benefits of, or reasons for doing, EBP are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to provide a comprehensive review of literature on policing money laundering to evaluate the quality of evidence presented in academic and grey literature. In doing so, this paper reflects upon what strategies and mechanisms work in preventing, detecting and disrupting money laundering. Design/methodology/approach: To investigate the quality of evidence presented in academic and grey literature on money laundering, the authors have conducted a structured literature review of over 1,000 sources. The authors have then evaluated the quality of evidence of these sources by using three distinct methods, namely, the Maryland scale, research excellence framework and quality of empirical evidence framework. Findings: This paper finds a large number of studies on money laundering meeting the highest academic quality standard. However, only a very small number of those studies include empirical evidence that policing measures actually work with no study able to demonstrate a correlation between money laundering measures and risk factors at any point in time. Originality/value: This paper provides practical and theoretical insights into what works in money laundering and the role of scientific evaluations. It is particularly relevant for the successful implementation of anti-money laundering policy measures, including, for example, the UK's Economic Crime Plan 2023–2026, which aspires to measure the progress and impact of policing in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the focus is on the crime prevention method SafeGrowth and its implementation in Drottninghög, Sweden. We highlight the police perspective on the implementation of SafeGrowth in Drottninghög, a risk area in Helsingborg, Sweden. Contrary to ordinary crime prevention programmes, the police are not the leading actors in the SafeGrowth process; instead, they join, as an equal party, the residents and other actors in the project. This article is partly the result of a process evaluation conducted between August 2021 and October 2022. The data consists of a focus group interview and an on-site visit and was compiled in October 2022. In the analysis, three themes related to the police perspective are identified: (1) the relationship between SafeGrowth, the area's crime problem, and evidence-based policing; (2) the contribution of SafeGrowth in terms of collective efficacy, and (3) problems related to evaluating SafeGrowth within the area. In the results, it becomes clear that, from a police perspective, the implementation of SafeGrowth may become problematic. The problems pertain to the selection of both areas and local problems to work with, the conjunction of different descriptions of realities, and organization within the project. For SafeGrowth to succeed in Drottninghög and similar areas, police perspectives must be included more clearly in order to facilitate cooperation. Despite these problems, we identified that a major advantage of the SafeGrowth method was its contribution to collective efficacy in the area, which, in turn, can be helpful to everyday police work in Drottninghög. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study draws insights from environmental criminology to implement a policing initiative focused on risky places and the micro-spatial attractors that create vulnerable settings for crime to emerge or persist in the town of Basildon. Evidence-based approaches to crime control have become more important within law enforcement approaches to crime control. Insights that have emerged from recent research on place-based approaches will serve as a central focus of this paper. The experimental approach taken to assess, implement and test the risk-based policing initiative incorporates lessons learned from similar US-based initiatives, and is the first study of its kind in the UK. Results show that community violence offences reduced significantly, and the target areas outperformed the control areas by over 47%. A cost-benefit analysis found this equates to a costs savings of £106,220 during the 6-month intervention period. This study demonstrates the value of evidence-based approaches to problem analysis and place-based crime prevention, and the generalizability of policing research in the US to UK settings. It also demonstrates how a researcher-practitioner implemented initiative from a large city in Missouri (US) was transferred to a small town in Essex (UK) solely via the in-house expertise of Essex Police personnel who reviewed published and open-access scientific literature, a true testament to "pracademics" and translational criminology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of developing organisational excellence requires identifying benchmarks and a model or framework to guide the operationalisation of an organisation's aspirations. Developing evidence through application of strategies to meet benchmark criteria requires commitment at all levels of an organisation to demonstrate a sustained quality level of achievement through continuous improvement to standards of excellence. This article presents the process and outcomes for a police organisation (Abu Dhabi Police [ADP]) utilising the European Foundation for Quality Management (EfQM) criteria to guide development and measurement of organisational excellence. In 2021 ADP were awarded a 6 Star Global Award from the EfQM. This case study explores the extent to which EfQM is an effective framework for organisational excellence in policing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides operational guidance for enhancing hot spot patrols, specifically focusing on the "Koper" hot spot patrol strategy. The authors emphasize the importance of officers visiting crime hot spots for a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes to optimize the deterrent effect. They suggest that officers should visit hot spots during the most active hours and vary their timing and entry methods to create an element of surprise. The article also discusses the "4Gs" of basic hot spot patrol, which include going to hot spots, getting out of patrol vehicles, going up to individuals, and going into public places within hot spots. The authors recommend that officers carry out hot spot patrols more frequently rather than less, and they provide additional ideas for activities that can be conducted during these patrols. The article concludes by highlighting the role of first-line supervisors in supporting and mentoring officers in implementing effective hot spot patrols. [Extracted from the article]

Over the last decade, research on police training showed significant development. Nevertheless, the field was lacking a consistent framework based on the best available scientific evidence indicating what should work in police training. The present article presents such a model, based on Litmanovitz (2016). It provides a succinct description of the model, its development and importance, and tests the outcome of a procedural justice (PJ) training module designed based on its principles, within the context of a quasi-experiment in the National Police College in Israel. Findings show a statistically significant effect on recruits' support for PJ, but not on their perceived ability to exercise PJ. We conclude that the general, ecological training model proposed by Litmanovitz (2016) shows promise, is useful for the development of evidence-informed police training interventions, and should be viewed as a starting point for ongoing elaboration and refinement of our knowledge on police training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Situational awareness (SA) is the most important skill required by police to effectively assess and respond to encounters, including critical incidents. Incomplete or sub-optimal SA strategies can lead to errors in subsequent judgement, decision-making, and action, including tactics and use of force (UOF). Errors in UOF, especially lethal force, in training or operational field settings, have severe consequences for learning, occupational health, and public safety. Therefore, adequately defining and instructing SA is an important gap to fill in existing applied police literature and practice. Using a mixed-methods approach, the current study aimed to define and conceptualize SA in police-specific contexts. Participants included 23 novice trainees and 11 experienced officers and instructors in tactics and UOF. Participants were shown 13 static images of various staged encounters, ranging from non-threatening to high-threat. Following each image, participants were interviewed and asked to describe what they saw and how they would respond. Thematic analyses of the interview data revealed the following seven themes that are highly interrelated and more completely define police-specific SA: distance/time laws; partner/roles; profiling the suspect; tactical options and opportunities; ongoing assessment of own tactical activities and outcomes; surrounding environment and conditions; and dangerous objects. Expert officers provided more detailed and multidimensional descriptions of the themes and statistical analyses confirmed that experts identified more themes compared to novices. By making tacit knowledge visible, the current findings establish a professional standard for SA formation, which can inform evidence-based police training in SA, tactical decision-making, and UOF while improving operational safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite mass protests, demands to defund the police, and a range of institutional reforms, historic patterns of abuse and violence in US policing persist. This article calls for a renewed and reinvigorated critical policing studies to give leadership in the search for remedy. Fifty years ago, Taylor, Walton, and Young envisioned a "fully social theory of deviance" to guide a new critical criminology. How do our policing studies frameworks—evidence-based policing, democratic policing, police abolitionism—hold up to a "fully social" standard? Here, the article critiques the extant frameworks and also proposes one possible new direction in policing studies that would incorporate insights from the field of labor studies and rank-and-file politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to its ease and popularity, social media has recently become an essential source of data for researchers and various stakeholder groups that seek a reliable assessment of their policies based on a comprehensive understanding of users' feedback and inputs, which are reflected in their posts and discussions. In this study, we investigate the issue of users' car parking behaviour through a comprehensive analysis of related hashtags collected from the Twitter social media platform. For this purpose, we adopted a two‐step strategy where in the first stage, a surface‐level analysis of the identified hashtags involving inductive reasoning, sentiment analysis, and user interaction in terms of engagement and diversity scores is performed. In the second phase, a tweet content analysis is performed using sentiment analysis and Empath categorization with respect to the most frequent wordings (assimilating to separate topics), in the same spirit as aspect‐sentiment analysis, to gain further insights regarding the occurrence of negative and positive posts. A quantitative evaluation of the coherence of the Empath categorization indicates that achieved 0.83% coherence score and outperformed both LDA and LSA that had a score of 0.77% and 0.76% respectively. Furthermore, the common word technique assimilated to aspect sentiment compared to the state‐of‐the‐art model for aspect sentiment‐based deberta‐v3‐base model. Besides, the influence of bots or spammers is evaluated using engagement/diversity measures and Botometer API. The results provide valuable insights in terms of discriminating between positive and negative posts and the correlation of surface‐level analysis with content‐based analysis, as well as the impact of various categorizations. The results expect to enable urban planners and policymakers to advance evidence‐based policing in the future design of intelligent parking systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous surveys have demonstrated that not all police professionals are open to the idea that research can play an important role in policing. To examine how Canadian police professionals view this issue, we conducted a survey of 598 civilian and sworn police professionals from seven Canadian police services. The survey responses allowed us to gauge receptivity towards research and determine what factors predict receptivity. We also examined factors that differentiate the most receptive police professionals from others. Compared with previous surveys, our respondents were more receptive to research. Furthermore, having higher education, holding a more senior rank, and being exposed to research (e.g., attending conferences) were associated with higher levels of receptivity to research. The results from this study can potentially be used to increase receptivity to research among police professionals, which may help police services become more efficient and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study tested whether a police-led initiative providing a CPTED (Crime Prevention by Environmental Design) intervention to residential burglary victims reduced revictimisation. Methods: Victims of eligible burglaries were randomly allocated to intention-to-treat and control groups in three New Zealand Police districts. Following the qualifying burglary, intention-to-treat victims were offered free installation of window and door locks, security lights and improved lines of sight (foliage trimming). Revictimisation, perceptions of safety and police, and displacement outcomes were measured using police administrative data and a survey of victims. Results: During the first trial year, there was no effect on revictimisation but positive effects on victims' perceptions. Supplementary analyses suggest implementation and contextual factors which contributed to the lack of effect on revictimisation. Conclusions: The findings highlight the limitations of CPTED interventions in particular contexts and confirm the importance of delivering prompt, contextually tailored interventions for the prevention of repeat burglary victimisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study demonstrates how temporal summary statistics can be a guiding tool for big data analyses to unravel temporal patterns of crime and police presence. Simple indicator statistics were used to identify temporal clusters of crimes and police presence, and to investigate potential links between the two. The methodology was applied on an anonymized police database, including reported crime events and police presence data, from a medium-sized European police department. The results illustrated that certain crime types occurred more during the day (e.g., burglaries), while others were more prevalent at night (e.g., drug crimes, motorbike and car theft). Police presence showed dispersed temporal patterns and little temporal focus on any type of crime. The research shows that temporal summary statistics can be used to support an explorative analysis of big datasets and guide subsequent spatiotemporal analyses of crime and police data. The summary statistics offer an accessible approach to analysing extensive datasets of policing activity and improving evidence-based policing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based policing (EBP) has gained prominence in jurisdictions across the core anglosphere. Its paradigmatic approach to knowledge production, and the assessment and validation criteria for research designs and their outputs remains in contention. Concurrently, interdisciplinarity (ID) has proliferated in other areas of research and practice, yet EBP remains untouched by these global developments and it appears a neglected area of academic debate. In combination with limited uptake at institutional and practice levels, a troubled landscape, and predictions of an uncertain and extraordinarily complex future operating environment (FOE): the question arises whether the present EBP paradigm is sufficient to meet the challenges and implications for policing and police research. This conceptual paper makes an epistemic assessment of the paradigm and drawing on ID and epistemological anarchism (EA) it contributes a perspective on its theoretical and methodological innovation as a futures-focused endeavour. It concludes that if EBP is to be maximised as a knowledge enterprise in support of policing in the FOE, a broader epistemology is necessary, that embraces methodological pluralism, eschews epistemic monolithism and proactively applies ID and EA to research, policy and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watson and Huey, in a 2020 article in this Journal, point out that there is still little empirical research offering a practice-focused perspective. This Special Issue responds to that call by offering a variety of empirically and theoretically informed studies centred on technology use in the policing of crime, borders and society more widely (e.g. surveillance). Contributions are inspired by Adam Crawford's insightful notion of policing 'as a product of new technologies' and Andrew Barry's reflective analysis of technical practices and devices as integral elements of organising and governing a 'technological society'. These inspirations reflect the interplay of policing requirements and practices, and the development, deployment and governance of technologies. A vital element of understanding and managing policing is the study of how technologies are imagined, adopted and overseen, to contribute to the understanding and anticipation of changing policing practices and needs. Two key elements are addressed in this Special Issue: (a) technological knowledge production, and the shaping of such knowledge in policing practices and institutional cultures, informing discourses on intelligence-led policing and evidence-based policing; and (b) the role of technology in creating legitimacy for policing. Eight contributions provide analyses of 'technology in policing as it happens' in practice-relevant case studies and reflections on developments. They address a broad spread of technologies, including drones, artificial intelligence firearms, forensic applications and social media. In attending to these examples, the authors shed light on vital aspects of policing that have so far been underexplored, using a mix of approaches from the social studies of science and technology, and from sociology/criminology. To ensure accessibility to a variety of reader groups, each article includes a section highlighting lessons learnt for understanding the policing in a technological society. This Special Issue is the first in the International Journal of Police Science & Management to bring a comprehensive discussion of technology to the Journal's audience. At the same time, it opens up the Journal's interests in policing to wider audiences, including those in science, technology and innovation studies, as well as criminology, by innovatively merging the interests of the three in the subject of its contributions. Contributing authors analyse and evaluate the opportunities and challenges of technology in policing with those for policing in a technological society. In doing so, the complexity of the relationship of technology and policing is made accessible, evidencing that, as Timmermans and Berg wrote, technology is always 'technology-in-practice'. Context is vital, technology is not necessarily used as intended, and its application cannot be considered neutral but must be understood as in interplay with diverse other knowledge practices (investigatory, prosecutorial, judicial, institutional, societal, etc.). This Special Issue is a starting point and call to continue work on supporting deliberation, widening the scope of perspectives to be involved, and seeking communication and collaboration across institutional and disciplinary boundaries: tearing down forts (silos) and building fords (crossings). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Difficulties in recruitment and retention undermine the ability of U.S. police departments to maintain and diversify their workforces, particularly in light changing workloads and performance expectations. The police reform movement and recent increases in crime have highlighted these challenges, but other systemic and acute issues have also made staffing departments difficult. Attention to police staffing has been sporadic and uneven, with much discussion focused on recruitment. Given increasing attrition and that retention is more efficient than recruitment, there is considerable need for systematic examination of staff turnover and the development of strategies to bolster retention. To help fill this need, this manuscript assesses the landscape of retention research. We began by conducting a systematic search of four scholarly databases, which yielded 82 journal articles for investigation. We developed a codebook to isolate research features, which we captured in an SPSS dataset. We analyzed article content to illustrate key characteristics and lessons, including the types and characteristics of scholars and organizations who have produced the research, financial support for research, the characteristics of journals in which the work is published, substantive foci (including on diversity), methodological approaches and types of data, units of analysis, theoretical explanations and the causes and correlates of attrition, effects of turnover, and forms and effectiveness of retention strategies. We illustrate the nature and evolution of this work, identifying key features, strengths, weaknesses, lessons, and gaps in knowledge. We conclude with a discussion of the implications for police research and evidence-based workforce planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Law enforcement officers across the country are trained in various tactics and techniques intended to increase the overall safety within a police-citizen contact. One common, albeit controversial tactic is referred to as "curb sitting". The curb-sitting tactic is generally associated with officers requiring criminal suspects to sit on a curb with their legs outstretched in front of them. The tactic is believed to provide officers additional reaction time to defend themselves from an attack but is also considered unnecessarily demeaning. The efficacy of the curb-sitting tactic has not previously been determined. The current study is the first to evaluate three common variations of the curb-sitting tactic to determine which, if any seated position allowed officers more time to respond to an attack when compared to a subject standing five feet away. Our results show that a seated subject with their legs extended is associated with a significant increase in time to cross five feet when compared to a standing subject. Based on these results, the curb-sitting tactic appears to be an evidence-based method of increasing an officer's time to respond to an attack. Implications for law enforcement training and tactics, as well as recommendations for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to enable a better understanding of the possibilities of prison library services and offer evidence that can help to support efforts to align policy and practice in prison library provision. Alongside an examination of existing policies, guidelines and literature, the paper presents findings that emerged from interviews with six prison library experts, undertaken as part of a recent national review of prison library services in Ireland. Following a discussion of these findings, a set of ten principles for prison library provision in Ireland is presented which holds relevance for global prison library policy and practice. As well as providing research-informed evidence for those in policymaking roles, the findings will be of interest to practitioners and researchers advocating for improved access to prison library services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As frontline responders, patrol officers exist at the core of policing. Little remains known, however, about the specific and nuanced work of contemporary patrol officers and their shift characteristics. Drawing upon computer-aided dispatch (CAD) data for a random sample of 60 patrol shifts, we empirically analyse the activities of patrol officers working in a Canadian police agency. Our analyses reveal several interesting findings regarding the activities of patrol officers, the nature and prevalence of calls for service attended by such officers, and the temporal patterns of different patrol shifts. We discuss our results with respect to both criminological research as well as policing practice. We also highlight the complications and implications of using electronic police records to empirically study officer activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of research evidence in policymaking provides policymakers with a sound basis for policy decisions and actions. While the use of research evidence is on the rise, its evidence remains largely under‐reported especially from social sciences and developing world context. This may perpetuate the prevailing myth that policymakers do not use research evidence in policy deliberations and, thus, discourage researchers, funders, and policymakers from making greater investment in producing, disseminating, and using research evidence. Using the intersection of Weiss' typology of research use and a best‐evidence synthesis approach, this paper reviews and reports evidence on the use of research evidence in the policy domain from four national level studies undertaken in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Conceptual and instrumental uses of research evidence are evident through a demand for research evidence, research‐based policy products, and citations of research in policy documents. The paper broadens our understanding on the use of research evidence from developing countries context and social science research, and informs different funders, researchers, and policymakers about the potential utility of research they respectively fund and/or undertake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of evidence-based policy into criminal justice reform – and into police reform specifically – is a daunting but necessary endeavor. In this essay, we examine police reform, including a review of the literature, which is summarized and guided by our experiences and thoughts into a broad conceptual framework for what we believe is needed to realize true change in the policing profession. This essay provides a brief review of the history of police reform and explores three primary reasons why it has failed so far: (1) the tendency to implement reactionary (i.e., knee-jerk) reforms; (2) the reliance on non-aspirational reforms; and (3) a lack of necessary evidence to guide reforms. We then provide what we believe to be the path forward – the co-ownership of evidence-based police reform by police executives and researchers. We encourage and advise police executives to be proactive, strategic, and courageous in owning reform, see greater value in being users and builders of evidence, and educate the public and their own officers. We also call on researchers to do better by creating the knowledge needed for the field and packaging it in a way that can be more easily consumed by practitioners, policymakers, and the community. We believe it is through this co-ownership that police reform efforts have the greatest potential for success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based policing is an integral part of the police approach to crime prevention work being closely associated with the problem solving approach as developed by Goldstein (Problem-oriented policing, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1990) This research explores the effect of the new initial police entry programmes, co-delivered in partnerships between higher education and police forces, on the application of evidence-based policing (EBP) in the workplace. It also considers the impact of team leaders and supervisors on this adoption. The study utilised a survey of new student police constables undergoing the new higher education qualifications programme from five different police forces in England and Wales. Findings suggest that EBP appears to be applied in the workplace, and that the combination of higher education and work-based practice will continue to influence the adoption of EBP by new police constables. In particular is the role of police leaders in this aspect. This in turn may embed it into practice despite any cultural resistance, thus enhancing the crime prevention role of the police. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research addressing the relationship between Higher Education (HE) and police officers tends to fall into one of three camps. First, that which explores the relationship between police institutions and academic institutions, second, those which explore the appropriateness of the HE setting for the delivery of police-specific knowledge, and, finally, research which investigates the impact of police higher education engagement upon police officer attributes and practice (Brown. 2018. Do graduate police officers make a difference to policing? Results of an integrative literature review. Policing: a journal of policy and practice, policing, 1–22. doi:). Thus far, little research has discussed the impact HE has on the relationship between officers and the police organisation. This research, derived from interviews with 31 police officers who undertook in-service degrees, explores police officers' engagement with HE study and the consequent changes to their perception of their relationship with the profession. This is contrasted with the relatively unchanged structural and cultural expectations the organisation places on officers regardless of their newly acquired graduate status as reported in the extant literature (Hallenberg and Cockcroft. 2017. From indifference to hostility: police officers, organisational responses and the symbolic value of 'in-service' higher education in policing. Policing: a journal of policy and practice, 11 (3), 273–288). The discrepancy can be explained through the recent scholarship on public sector isomorphism and the police's transformation into a hybrid organisation (Noordegraaf. 2015. Hybrid professionalism and beyond: new forms of public professionalism in changing organizational and societal contexts. Journal of professions and organization, 2, 187–206), as well as the competing knowledge paradigms within policing (Williams and Cockcroft. 2018. Knowledge wars: professionalisation, organisational justice and competing knowledge paradigms in British policing. In: L. Huey, and R Mitchell, eds. Evidence-based policing: an introduction. Bristol: Policy Press, 131–141). Importantly, however, the current paper takes this discussion deeper. It argues that the police's unique role in serving not just the public but also state interests inevitably shapes and constrains the process of professionalisation, the relationship between the police and HE, and officers' ability to use knowledge and skills gained through HE study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of policing is littered with reform programmes, which aim to improve effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy. Problem-oriented policing (POP) and evidence-based policing (EBP) are two popular and enduring reform efforts, both of which have generated significant researcher and practitioner attention. There are important similarities between POP and EBP: both approaches provide a framework intended to improve the outcomes of policing. There are also key differences, however, in terms of their main objectives, standards of evidence and units of analysis. Despite both approaches being widely advocated and implemented, presently little is known about police practitioner understanding of the relationship between POP and EBP, both in principle and in practice. To address this gap, this paper draws on survey (n = 4,141) and interview (n = 86) data collected from 19 police forces in England and Wales in 2019 to explore police practitioners' views on the relationship between POP and EBP, and the extent to which these two approaches inform contemporary police practices. Our findings indicate that respondents generally viewed the two approaches as complementary and important frameworks for orienting police work. However, respondents also drew attention to how the two approaches are not always connected organisationally nor in the minds of police personnel. In addition, challenges were identified in the application of both approaches in practice. Our results suggest that more needs to be done to maximise the potential of POP and EBP, both separately and synergistically. The article concludes by suggesting some ways in which this might be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Policing is changing in response to increased demands from the community, the need to do more with less, fiscal austerity, the varying nature of crime, new technology, the loss of legitimacy, and the need for more transparency and accountability. One strategy that has been identified that could assist the police in responding to these challenges is evidence-based policing. This research examines the adoption of evidence-based policing by police forces in England and Wales. The research found that while most officers understand what evidence-based policing is and are amenable to its adoption and use, the methods that agencies use to communicate and disseminate information, internally, were inadequate and the current organisational structures cannot support evidence-based practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a list of recent publications by faculty and students of the CEBCP (Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy). The publications cover a range of topics related to criminology and public policy, including cybercrime, community organizing, procedural justice, gun violence, identity theft, domestic violence, restorative justice, hot spot policing, patrol techniques, police effectiveness, online stolen data markets, cyberattacks, psychological skills training for police, body-worn cameras, police stops, sexual violence reporting, police response to mental illness, place-level perceptions of procedural justice, and scaling up effective juvenile delinquency programs. The list provides a valuable resource for library patrons conducting research on these specific topics. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the implementation of hot spots policing in Buffalo, New York, as a strategy to reduce gun violence. The Buffalo Police Department (BPD) used funding from the Gun Involved Violence Elimination (GIVE) Initiative to launch a custom notification plan, where officers made regular contact with individuals involved in gun violence. This approach resulted in a 24% reduction in shootings in 2019. However, the progress was lost in 2020-2021 due to various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in bail laws. The BPD then developed a hot spots program, dividing the city into grids and focusing on engagement and enforcement in those areas. This approach led to a 37% decrease in shooting incidents in 2022 and historic reductions in gun violence in subsequent years. The success of the program was attributed to community engagement and collaboration between different law enforcement agencies. The article emphasizes the importance of evidence-based policing and community cooperation in creating safe communities. [Extracted from the article]

In their recent article, Bennell et al. (2021) address the ongoing series of critical incidents within law enforcement across the globe and the amplified public debate that ensured. The team of renowned international police scholars and practitioners intend to 'provide insights into the fundamental issues related to police use of force' (Bennell et al., 2021, p. 1) and work out what they perceive to be 'urgent issues and prospects (p. 1)'. Since the author's proposal is likely to influence future debates, we feel warrants that foremost the issue on how the issue of urgency is handled in the paper at hand deserves scientific attention. While Bennell et al. (2021) emphasize the importance of evidence‐based policing for the further professionalization of policing, we advocate for reflexivity in modern police practice and research. Reflexivity calls for the analysis on preconditions and consequences of scientific perspectives themselves, thus touching issues of evidence of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop a more informed understanding of why tactical officers are used in Canada, we interviewed patrol and tactical officers from three Canadian police services (Jenkins et al., 2020). Interviewees indicated that tactical officers tend to be used on calls that go beyond the capabilities of patrol officers, including high-risk calls and calls unfolding in special environments, and that their use results in reduced threat to police and public safety. In response, Walby (2021) has argued that evidence-based policing (EBP) research of the sort we conducted is inherently biased. He also criticized our understanding of existing literature, took aim at our research methodology and conclusions, and questioned our academic integrity by claiming that we were paid by the participating police services to conduct the research. While Walby makes some valid criticisms of our research, his response is riddled with misunderstandings, mischaracterizations, and malicious (unfounded) accusations. After setting the record straight with respect to allegations regarding our nefarious motives to conduct the research, we argue that Walby completely misrepresents EBP research when he argues that it aims to support harmful police practices in exchange for financial support. We then correct numerous instances where Walby either mischaracterizes existing research or misrepresents our views (and those of our interviewees) when it comes to the use of tactical officers. We conclude by calling for more inclusive conversations to take place to address the issue of police militarization. These conversations must include community members, but they must also include the police. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Law enforcement agencies in the UK are embracing evidence-based policing and recognise the importance of human source intelligence (HUMINT) in the decision-making process. A review of the literature identified six categories likely to impact the handling of a covert human intelligence source (CHIS) or an informant: (a) handler personality traits; (b) informant motivation; (c) rapport; (d) gaining cooperation; (e) obtaining information, and (f) detecting deception. This study sought to identify which of these categories current HUMINT practitioners considered the most when planning and conducting a meeting with an informant. A bespoke online survey was designed and disseminated to 34 practitioners using purposive and snowball sampling. Directed content analysis and thematic content analysis were conducted. Results indicate that practitioners appear most concerned with gaining co-operation (d) and detecting deception (f). Results also found an inter-connectivity between the six categories, with informant handlers often having to balance competing requirements. Implications for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysts working within police services play a key role in translating data into usable and understandable forms of knowledge for police personnel. Despite the increased focus on data and research in policing, we know little about the everyday data work of police analysts. In this article, we review the literature on analysts' experiences and draw on survey data from analysts working in police services across Canada to examine the types of data work they routinely engage in and the value placed on their work by police personnel. Our findings suggest that analysts are underutilized and spend much of their time reporting descriptive statistics rather than performing more sophisticated analyses. While analysts perceived their work as being valued by police personnel, they did not think it was understood or used to its full extent. We conclude the paper by discussing the implications of these findings on the move towards evidence-based policing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a response to an article on public police special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams written by Jenkins and colleagues (2020). Jenkins and colleagues are responding to a study showing that tactical units and members are being used more in Canadian policing. For Jenkins and colleagues, not only are SWAT teams being used properly, but drawing from interviews with tactical members they suggest SWAT teams should be used more in the future. This response focuses on conceptual, methodological, and empirical deficiencies in the work of Jenkins and colleagues. This response shows that Jenkins and colleagues ignore social theory, ignore relevant contrary data, are ignorant of the harms of policing, and are ignorant of the violence that Black and Indigenous peoples face from Canadian police. Relatedly, this response offers a criticism of what is called evidence-based policing scholarship. Using the work of Jenkins and colleagues as an example, the argument here is that evidence-based policing scholars are in a conflict of interest because of how closely they work with police and due to the funding they receive from police agencies and justice ministries. This conflict of interest decreases the credibility and trustworthiness of the claims of evidence-based policing scholars. Overall, this response draws attention not only to the harms of public policing and criminalization, but also to how evidence-based policing scholarship is supporting the expansion of violent, harmful, and regressive forms of social control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose -- This chapter explores how select "evidence-based" police scholars act as gatekeepers to research opportunities, in Canada, thus impeding critical research that pertains to Black communities. Methodology/Approach -- Using the critical race method of counter-storytelling, the following narrative demonstrates how race and racism may play a role in the collection and dissemination of research that examines racial bias in Canadian policing. This methodology aims to refute the notion of critical objectivity, which is often used to promote the principles of evidence-based policing (EBP). Findings -- Findings suggest that through various powers and levels within both the policing and academic community, a select number of scholars have influence over Canadian policing research that explores racial bias and discrimination. As such, research that may help to develop effective and efficient policing programs to address racial bias, is thwarted. Originality -- No Canadian study explores anti-racist training programs or evaluates their effectiveness. This chapter demonstrates that this may be the result of gatekeeping. The following chapter provides insight into how this is done within EBP circles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using both real and hypothetical datasets to visualize data, Mitchell challenges readers to think about how their specific agencies currently analyze data and allocate resources, as well as ways those processes could be improved. Twenty-one Mental Models that Can Change Policing: A Framework for Using Data and Research for Overcoming Cognitive Bias: by Reneé Mitchell, Routledge, New York, NY, 2022, 209 pp., $39.95 (paperback). Rather than trying to ignore the biases that exist within every human mind, I Twenty-one Mental Models i asks that we employ first principles thinking: that we break down the information and assumptions we have into iteratively smaller pieces to identify where that information came from. [Extracted from the article]