Abstract
A destructive rift exists between law enforcement and the people they are sworn to protect, and the American public is looking to law enforcement to improve performance standards and advance the field as a profession. Essential in this process is the infusion of science into practice, ensuring that policies reflect the latest state of knowledge as to what works and what matters in policing. This article explores how science can support and inform policing practice both in terms of developing solutions—such as the recommendations of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing—and furthering policing as a profession. The article stresses that the burden of integrating science into police practice lies not only with law enforcement agencies as consumers of research but also with policing researchers who must look beyond their journal publications and the tenure requirements of their profession to generate relevant, applicable knowledge to advance police practice.
Recommended Citation
Howard Spivak, Maureen McGough & Nancy Rodriguez,
Using Science to Advance the Police Profession,
40
S. Ill. U. L.J.
457
(2016).
Available at:
https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/siulj/vol40/iss3/6