Resource Results

Surveys have indicated that both law enforcement executives and rank and file officers are receptive to research results. However, there is a widely held perception that policing research is often underutilized and that police managers and executives miss opportunities to consider this tool when evaluating and directing their agencies’ efforts. This foreword by Chief Michael Brown of the Alexandria (VA) Police Department discusses the benefits of police practitioners reaching out to the… Read More

The Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance, a program developed by the U.S. Department - of Justice (DOJ) Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), provides critical and tailored technical assistance resources to state, local, territorial, tribal, and campus law enforcement agencies on a wide variety of topics. The program has served as the premier technical assistance program of the COPS Office since 2011.

Most law enforcement officers (LEO) begin their careers in good physical condition and health, demonstrated by passing academy physical fitness exams. However, job-related stress disorders can cause many to retire early or die prematurely (Waters and Ussery 2007; Joseph et al. 2009; Ramey et al. 2012). Compared to the general population, police officers tend to have a worsened metabolic profile1 and a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and risk factors (Hartley et al. 2011;… Read More

For victims of human trafficking, testifying or even appearing in court can be a very scary experience. Essentially, victims are put on the stand and feel like they are the ones on trial. Unfortunately, it is their character, decision-making, and other personal choices that end up being questioned and put at issue.

A randomized controlled trial of the No Bully System in Oakland, CA, public schools found that group-based programming designed to build empathy and active support for participating bullying victims among peers and perpetrators led to substantial drops in both the frequency and severity of bullying incidents that those victims experienced.

Rural areas make up 72 percent of the United States’ land area, and are home to 46 million people. Though more economically diverse than in the past, rural areas are still responsible for the majority of production in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and forestry. Declining job opportunities in these sectors have led to lack of employment and increasing poverty in many rural communities—as well as a shrinking tax base to support service providers.

This guidebook presents a practical framework for understanding evidence-based policing (EBP). The framework is practical in the sense that it is understandable, feasible, and directly tied to making policing more effective. In other words, it isn’t about collecting data for its own sake, or about doing research for its own sake. Rather, it is about serving and protecting the public as effectively as possible.

The evolving world of technology is like the wild, wild west. Technology is being developed, rolled out, and used much faster than public safety’s ability to analyze not only the cost, but also the policy implications that come with it.

With that in mind, one of the biggest things first responders should focus on is defining the problem we’re trying to solve before exploring our technology options. Unfortunately, defining the problem can often be a problem in and of itself… Read More

Gang-involved youth are responsible for a disproportionate share of crime in communities. Successfully tackling gang involvement and associated criminal activities should result in a substantial reduction of crime — including violent crime — in affected neighborhoods. To that end, many programs and strategies have been developed to prevent gang involvement, reduce the criminal activities of gang members, and help individuals disengage from gangs.

Human trafficking is a crime that occurs over time. During the investigation, it is our job to collect all of the pieces of evidence that will be used in a prosecution to portray the picture of a survivor’s experience. This collection and analysis of corroborating evidence can be a daunting task.