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                            Library & Multimedia
 Measurement and Explanation in the Comparative Study of American Police Organizations
NCJ Number
              185546

Author(s)
          Edward R. Maguire, Craig D. Uchida, Criminal Justice 2000, Volume 4: Measurement and Analysis of Crime and Justice
Date Published

January 2000
Length
              67 pages
Annotation
              This chapter is a guide for theory and research on American
police organizations, as it explores trends in the measurement
and explanation of police organizations since their emergence in
the early 19th century.
Abstract
              The chapter explores trends in the measurement and explanation of
police organizations since their emergence in the early 19th
century. It has three parts that focus on measurement,
explanation, and future prospects. Part 1 traces the evolution of
measurement in the comparative study of American police
organizations. This discussion spans the past 150 years, from
crude early attempts to count police output to recent
methodologically informed efforts to "measure what matters." Part
2 reviews the evolution of attempts to explain the variation in
police organizations over time and space. This body of work was
influenced heavily by research and theory in the sociology of
organizations. Part 3 reviews some general themes and discusses
concrete ways to better measure and explain police organizations.
Among the pitfalls identified in the evolution of research on
American police organizations are insufficient attention to
conceptualization and theory, unrealistic measures, inadequate
statistical methods, and an overall lack of appreciation for
previous research. Classics in the research on police
organizations provide a foundation, but countless avenues for
refinement and rediscovery remain. Chief among these are the
responsibilities of doing quality research that is based in new
or existing theories and that contributes to the understanding or
practice of policing. 2 exhibits, 29 notes, and 166 references
      
  
          Additional Details
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        NIJ
    
  
  
Date Published: January 1, 2000
    
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