Respond to each post (4) in 150 words or more
1.Criminal justice practitioners generally do not adopt and employ social science research in their organization because if they are looking to show statistics or data they want it to be immediate to either show proficiency in a current policy or to help implement a new one. "Social science research is largely intended to inform the policy process and that its effects on the way policymakers conceptualize problems and alternatives and, ultimately, make policy decisions can usually be measured only over the long term" (Petersilia, 1987).
Practitioners also usually have a plan or policy that they are trying to push whenever they are looking for studies. With criminal justice being an applied field "studies should be designed in a way to influence practice" (Stojkovic, Kalinich, & Klofas, 2015, p. 452).
Even with all the information it is still up to the policy makers to use the data that is collected from the research and interpret it in such a way to make it beneficial. This is why criminal justice practitioners generally do not adopt and employ social science research in their organization.
2. The reason why criminal justice practitioners generally don't adopt and employ social science research in their organizations is because the two come from different experiences and generally don't trust the studies anyone who has not lived in their shoes.
The two different worlds can be explained with practitioners who have journals, magazines and other publications that they can receive information from but they feel the best source to go to is trusted colleagues or staff members. On the other side, you have researchers who employ social science studies and they stick to facts and hard data such as specialized journal data. (Stojkovic, kalinich, & Klofas, 2015, p. 454)
The reason why this data collection method is important and show why each researcher uses a different approach is because in the law enforcement field for example, the practitioner usually has to make a quick decision and they don't have time to go digging through journals and publications. References from trusted colleagues works in their world while administrators who have time to study and analyze everything can go to these sources since time permits. (Stojkovic et al., 2015, p. 455)
3.One of the most recognized opportunities and yet just as challengeable resource of the law enforcement official's job is without doubt the happenstance of having to contend with the introduction of and/or the continued usage of the body worn camera (7 of the biggest issues facing law enforcement in 2016, 2016).
The opportunity of course is based upon after officially viewing the footage an officer involved controversial confrontation with the public can be effectively quelled instantaneously with the release of the footage (7 of the biggest issues facing law enforcement in 2016, 2016).
However, what if the camera was not turned on? What if the department itself has no body worn cameras? What if the footage shows the exact wrong doing of the officer in question? Those last three questions are definitely the challenges or detriment that this now readily available force multiplying equipment can introduce.
4.Criminal justice administrators face many challenges in the twenty-first century; likewise, they have many opportunities. Some of the greatest challenges, are an opportunity.
Much more is expected from criminal justice administrators than in centuries past. Administrators are expected to do more, with less resources, with increased visibility, while being judged by groups with conflicting thoughts and ideas about how criminal justice organizations should be administered (Stojkovic, Kalinich, & Klofas, 2015).
The greatest opportunity criminal justice administrators must combat these problems is community-oriented policing. Community-oriented policing as a philosophy means the police and the community working together, to figure out what the problems in the community are, and working together to solve them.
This approach allows communities to be part of their own solution, while the police are involved in neighborhood programs such as town-hall type meetings which give the citizens a voice to the police (Oliver, 2007). This philosophy is a more efficient use of police resources and could help with some of the anti-police sentiment that challenges criminal justice organizations today.
Some of the many additional challenges facing criminal justice organizations in the twenty-first century include: breaking the deadly cycle of drugs, guns and violence, protecting Americans and supporting victims of crime, combat terrorism and international crime, and zero tolerance for drugs, testing, treatment & punishment. (U.S. Department of Justice, 1999). Drugs are probably the greatest challenge facing criminal agencies.
Drugs are associated with most crime. Illegal drug use costs the U.S. more than $110 billion annually. Capitalizing and expanding on programs that have already demonstrated success, such as drug courts and residential treatment programs hold the key to breaking the cycle of drugs and violence (U.S. Department of Justice, 1999).