This document discusses the critical role of research in shaping criminal justice policy, detailing how research informs decisions made by policymakers. It highlights the relationship between research methodologies and the development of effective policies, as well as the importance of ensuring that findings are accessible to practitioners. Additionally, it addresses the impact of research-driven policies on issues like incarceration rates and the effectiveness of law enforcement strategies.

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Research and Policy Development Paper
Research and Policy Development
This paper will be describe the importance of research as it
relates to policy development within the field of criminal
justice. Many different issues will be addressed pertaining to
this subject. The purposes and types of policies within the field
of criminal justice will be identified. The relationship between
research and policy development will be described. Examples of
how research can assist policy makers by informing their policy
decisions will be provided as well. Two examples of policies
that were developed within the past ten years that resulted from
research within the field of criminal justice will be identified.

2. Research within Criminal Justice
Research methods are procedures for obtaining information
on individual and/or aggregate phenomena for the purpose of
creating a general explanation or theory to explain a
phenomenon. Research is also used for testing the applicability
of an existing theory to a subgroup of the population. Also
research can be used for testing the effectiveness of an existing
social policy or program. Much criminal justice research in the
United States, as in other countries, is social science research.
Creating a general explanation or theory to explain a
phenomenon and testing the applicability of an existing theory
to a subgroup of the population are critical to the dialectic of
scholarly knowledge in criminology and criminal justice.
Researchers take on many interests when it comes to criminal
justice. Researchers such as the National Institute of Justice
(NIJ) sponsor studies on police performance, prosecution,
sentencing, and corrections; we study the nature of crime and
criminal behavior; we examine such topics as juvenile
offending, the drug-crime link, environmental crime, family
violence, and gangs. Our science and technology unit develops
techniques for criminal investigations and for other areas of law
enforcement, such as the use of DNA evidence. (Travis 1995)
The National Criminal Justice Association's (NCJA) policy
statements address major interests and concerns of the
organization's membership on contemporary crime and criminal
justice issues, such as fear and violence in communities, prison
overcrowding, juvenile justice and the prevention of juvenile
crime and delinquency, federal funding strategies, racial
disparity, reentry, information sharing, mentally ill, and
evidence-based programs and practices. (NCJA 2017)
Purpose and Policies within Criminal Justice
The purpose of the researchers researching the policies is to we
communicate the findings of these studies, with the emphasis on
getting them into the hands of practitioners and policymakers in
the cities, counties, and states of the United States -- to police
chiefs and prosecutors, prison wardens and court administrators

3. and, increasingly, to community organizations and people who
provide social and health services. More than ever, we are using
advanced information technology to do this. (Travis 1995)
Research is critical to the development of sound criminal justice
policy, as well as to the development of advanced technologies
that support the work of law enforcement agencies. The Bureau
of Justice Statistics (BJS) is the primary statistical agency of
the U.S. Department of Justice. BJS collects, analyzes,
publishes, and disseminates information on crime, those who
commit crime, victims of crime, and the operation of justice
systems at all levels of government. Impartial, timely, and
accurate statistical data are essential to guide and inform
federal, state, and local policymaking on crime and the
administration of justice and to improve the quality of and
access to information used for decision making. The BJS
website provides every publication released by BJS since 1995,
with downloadable datasets and spreadsheets, online analytic
capabilities, and graphical presentations. (OJP 2017)
Relationship between Research and Policy Development
The relationship between research and policy development is
very thin. Policymakers depend upon researchers to gather and
document criminal justice data to better improve the laws and to
better the communities suffering from criminals. Policy
research may be descriptive, analytical, or deal with causal
processes and explanations. It evaluates new and existing policy
programmers, describe examples of best practice, measure
social change, develop projections on the basis of large-scale
modelling exercises, or consist of large-scale experimental
research in real-life settings running for years and even
decades. (Travis 1995) Researching has made not only a
significant but a coherent impression on policing. Translational
criminology, which consists of studying how best to turn
conclusions derived from criminal justice research into tangible
policy outcomes is the primary focus. It is important and a
concern of the communities to spread the adoption of
translational criminology that there has been assistance from the

4. media, academia, and the government. The Office of Justice
Programs established its Evidence Integration Initiative to
advance the spreading of translational criminology as well.
(Becca and Ortellado 2014) Research has to not only be
accessible to researchers but to criminal justice practitioners,
such as law enforcement officials and the media.
Research Assisting Policy Makers
It is preposterous for policy makers to know what policies
are best. For policymakers to make better decisions they have to
have the evidence which is why local data and research are very
important. Local data and research can inform policies to be
more effective and inform them on how to better respond to the
realities of society. With the new federal education law
governing K-12 education, and a new definition of “evidence-
based” policy and practice, there is an immediate opportunity
for researchers to inform policy. (Grant 2017) Researchassist
many decisions of policy makers. Research can yield change
even when illuminating conditions and circumstances. The
findings of a research study are open to debate and
interpretation. In order for research to have a significant
influence and positive results within the decision making, the
research should contain clear and detailed answers. More
questions should not be created when trying to comprehend the
answers from research. (Grant 2017) The results given from the
researcher’s project has assisted with making these policies and
programs helpful and worthy. Different independent studies that
are completed throughout trial and error processes are combed
through independently to test the effectiveness. According to
Becca ad Ortellado 2014, the “Smart Suite” of crime fighting
programs designed by the Bureau of Justice Assistance – which
include the Smart Policing, Smart Supervision, and Smart
Prosecution Initiatives aims to promote data-driven results in
each of these focus areas by encouraging practitioners to work
with research partners specializing in such research analysis.
Researchers, practitioners, and the media have important roles
to play in ensuring that effective policy is enacted. There are

5. many huge opportunities for researchers once they figure out
how to communicate clearly and succinctly with policy makers.
Increasing the accessibility of research is a very important way
to help strengthen the link between policy and research. Policy
makers need to have the best evidence at their fingertips, and
researchers must make it easier for them to access and digest
the given information. (Grant) There are programs such as the
federal research and technical assistance programs, like the
RELs and the Comprehensive Centers designed to assist states
and districts in sorting through the evidence creating their
dominant roles within the law making.
Policies Developed from Research in Criminal Justice
Policies have been known to change and have drastic effects
within the criminal justice system based off the research that
has been completed and passed down to policy makers and
practitioners. High rates of incarceration in the United States
and the great number of people held in the U.S. prisons and jails
result from decisions by policy makers to increase the use and
severity of prison sentences. (NAP 2014) These crime rates
have risen drastically over the past ten years. Decisions by
police officials were emphasized on street-level arrests of drug
dealers in the war on drugs and the changed prevailing attitudes
toward crime and criminals that led prosecutors, judges, and
parole and other correctional officials to deal more harshly with
individuals convicted of crimes. At the American Bar
Association conference in 2013 Attorney General Eric Holder
said, “Too many Americans go to too many prisons for far too
long, and for no truly good law enforcement reason.” In 2010,
Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act reducing the
crack/powder sentencing disparity from a 100:1 ration to 18:1.
This act also removed the mandatory minimum five-year
sentence for possession of crack cocaine. (Muhammed 2014)

6. References
Grant T., William “What are the Unseen Ways that Research
Informs Policy” William T. Grant Foundation
James, Becca and Ortellado, Damian Dec.12, 2014. “Bridging
the Gap between Research and Practice in Criminal Justice.”
Muhammed, David. November 3, 2014 “20 Years of Flawed
Criminal Justice Policy” National Council on Crime and
Delinquency
NAP 2014. The Growth of Incarceration in the United States:
Exploring Causes and Consequences Chpt.3 The National
Association of Sciences Engineering Medicine
OJP 2017. Office of Justice Programs. Retrieved from
https://ojp.gov/programs/research_stats.htm
NCJA 2017. “Effective criminal justice policy and funding for
justice assistance programs.” Retrieved from
http://www.ncja.org/policy-statements
Travis, Jeremy. May 2, 1995. “Criminal Justice Research and
Public Policy.” Retrieved from
https://www.nij.gov/about/speeches/past-
directors/pages/unspeech.aspx