Evidence-Based Policy and Practice: The Role of the State in Advancing Criminal Justice Research, Findings from the Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships Study (RPPS)

• NCJ Number: 243916
• Author(s): Tami P. Sullivan; Bronwyn A. Hunter; Bonnie S. Fisher
• Date Published: 2013
• Length: 5 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2009-IJ-CX-0207
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Technical Assistance; Report (Study/Research)
• Award: Achieving Successful Researcher-Practitioner Partnerships that Strenghthen Practice and Policy: Lessons Learned From the Field

Annotation

This report from the Research-Practitioner Partnerships Study (RPPS) presents the findings and recommendations regarding the role of criminal justice State Administrative Agencies (SAAs) in advancing criminal justice research, with attention to research characterized by researcher-practitioner partnerships.

Abstract

A Web-based survey of SAA's throughout the country (75 respondents from 49 States) and individual interviews and focus groups with researchers and practitioners found that 70 percent of SAAs represented used research findings to inform the agency's mission. Eighty-nine percent reported that their agency/department had collaborated with a researcher in the past 5 years. Factors identified as "most helpful" in developing a collaboration with a researcher were the availability of funding and researchers, allocated time for collaboration, and an institutional culture that supports researcher-practitioner collaboration. Although generally supportive of such collaborative research, only 36 percent of respondents reported products from collaborations that directly influenced practices, services, or policies. Nine recommendations are offered from the RPPS. First, develop the relationship between the researcher and practitioner, integrating the skills of each throughout the process. Second, encourage practitioners involvement in research design and implementation, and third, cross-train to facilitate mutual learning. Fourth, obtain investment from administrators in order to move a project forward. Fifth, provide funding opportunities. Sixth, revise "red tape" regulations to encourage collaborative research. Seventh, encourage collaboratively developed research agendas. Eighth, realize the value in sustaining researcher-practitioner relationships. Ninth, publish and present findings for both researcher and practitioner audiences. Appended Web-based questionnaire