scholarly journals Moving beyond “Best Practice”: Experiences in Police Reform and a Call for Evidence to Reduce Officer-Involved Shootings

2020 ◽  
Vol 687 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin S. Engel ◽  
Hannah D. McManus ◽  
Gabrielle T. Isaza
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Police Reform ◽  
Reform Strategies ◽  
Police Executives ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Strong Body ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Evidence Based Policing

In post-Ferguson America, police departments are being challenged to implement evidence-based changes in policies and training to reduce fatal police-citizen encounters. Of the litany of recommendations believed to reduce police shootings, five have garnered widespread support: body-worn cameras, de-escalation training, implicit bias training, early intervention systems, and civilian oversight. These highly endorsed interventions, however, are not supported by a strong body of empirical evidence that demonstrates their effectiveness. Guided by the available research on evidence-based policing and informed by the firsthand experience of one of the authors in implementing departmental reforms that followed the fatal shooting of a civilian by an officer, this article highlights promising reform strategies and opportunities to build the evidence base for effective use-of-force reforms. We call upon police executives to engage in evidence-based policing by scientifically testing interventions, and we call on academics to engage in rapid research responses for critical issues in policing.

scholarly journals Developing best practice guidelines for designing living environments for people with dementia and sight loss

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 900-925 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALISON BOWES ◽  
ALISON DAWSON ◽  
CORINNE GREASLEY-ADAMS ◽  
LOUISE MCCABE
Keyword(s):  
Iterative Process ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Best Practice Guidelines ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Sight Loss ◽  
Research Findings

ABSTRACTThe paper considers a process of developing evidence-based design guidelines to be used in environments where people with dementia and sight loss are living. The research involved a systematically conducted literature review and a series of consultations with people affected by dementia and/or sight loss who lived or worked in care homes or in domestic settings. Findings from the literature and the consultations were used in an iterative process to develop the guidelines. The process is outlined, providing examples from the guidelines about lighting and colour and contrast. In discussing the research findings and the development process, the authors consider implications of the work including the weakness of the evidence base, the challenges of improving this and the need for innovative approaches to understanding the complexities of design for people with dementia and sight loss. They highlight the emphasis in the literature on independence for people with sight loss and the focus on control of people with dementia, arguing that this falls short of a genuinely person-centred approach, which recognises the active participation of people with dementia and sight loss.

Evidence-Based Practices for Teaching Learners on the Autism Spectrum

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda A. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Structured Learning ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Evidence Based Practices ◽  
Early 21St Century ◽  
Inclusive School ◽  
Child Centered ◽  
Teachers And Parents

The rising number of students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in schools, and the unique characteristics of these students, has led many educators and parents to question the types of programs and strategies that are most effective in supporting them to achieve within school climates and curriculum of the early 21st century. Moreover, educators and parents must sort through the plethora of information and reports of interventions and treatments claiming to treat or cure autism in order to determine what strategies will best support their children or students. A number of studies have focused on determining the evidence base of specific practices for students on the autism spectrum. However, only a few have investigated the applicability of these strategies in inclusive school environments or specifically employed strategies to address academic needs. This has created a research-to-practice gap for educators working with students on the autism spectrum in inclusive school settings. More promising are studies which have highlighted elements of effective practice in education programs. An analysis of this research reveals four principles of best practice for schools and educators working with students on the autism spectrum: provision of a supportive and structured learning environment for staff and students; consistent provision of child-centered and evidence-based curriculum and instruction; multidisciplinary engagement and collaboration; and meaningful communication and collaboration between families and schools. These principles provide a framework for teachers and parents to work alongside students on the autism spectrum to plan, implement and evaluate strategies that can be embedded and implemented in the class program and are effective in supporting the specific needs of individual students on the autism spectrum.

Evidence-based policing in Australia: an examination of the appropriateness and transparency of lineup identification and investigative interviewing practices

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-98
Author(s):  
Hayley J. Cullen ◽  
Lisanne Adam ◽  
Celine van Golde
Keyword(s):  
Best Practice ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Investigative Interviewing ◽  
Best Practice Guidelines ◽  
Police Investigations ◽  
American Psychology ◽  
Lineup Identification ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Evidence Based Policing

Psychological research has been pivotal in influencing the way police forces globally approach and undertake criminal investigations. Increasing psychological research in recent years has led to the development of best-practice guidelines for conducting police investigations, across a number of key areas of criminal investigation. For example, procedures for creating and conducting lineups as recommended by the American Psychology-Law Society, and the UK-developed PEACE model for investigative interviewing, have both been of influence in Australia. However, the extent to which these evidence-based recommendations have been incorporated into policing practice within Australia is unclear. In this article, we conducted an exploratory review of publicly available policing documents within Australian states and territories, to determine the extent to which best practice lineup identification and investigative interviewing procedures have been adopted into police practice. The review revealed that for lineup identification procedures, many of the basic recommendations for conducting lineups were not incorporated into publicly available policing manuals. For investigative interviewing, it appeared on the surface that elements of the PEACE model were implemented within most Australian jurisdictions, albeit this was often not explicitly stated within policing documents. A key issue identified was a lack of (understandable) public transparency of policing procedure, as a number of Australian jurisdictions failed to have publicly available policing manuals or handbooks against which to evaluate their procedures. Therefore, we argue that there is a need for better collaboration between researchers and law enforcement in order to achieve evidence-based, transparent policing within Australia.

scholarly journals Policing Research and the Rise of the ‘Evidence-Base’: Police Officer and Staff Understandings of Research, its Implementation and ‘What Works’

Sociology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 813-829 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Lumsden ◽  
Jackie Goode
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Conducting Research ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Organisational Factors ◽  
Evidence Based Policing

Despite the pitfalls identified in previous critiques of the evidence-based practice movement in education, health, medicine and social care, recent years have witnessed its spread to the realm of policing. This article considers the rise of evidence-based policy and practice as a dominant discourse in policing in the UK, and the implications this has for social scientists conducting research in this area, and for police officers and staff. Social scientists conducting research with police must consider organisational factors impacting upon police work, as well as the wider political agendas which constrain it – in this case, the ways in which the adoption of evidence-based policing and the related ‘gold standard’ used to evaluate research act as a ‘technology of power’ to shape the nature of policing/research. The discussion draws on semi-structured interviews conducted with police officers and staff from police forces in England.

scholarly journals Ensuring Consistent European-Wide Urological Care by the Use of Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines: Can We Do Better

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (Suppl. 1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Emma Jane Smith ◽  
Steven MacLennan ◽  
Anders Bjartell ◽  
Alberto Briganti ◽  
Thomas Knoll ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Clinical Practice Guidelines ◽  
Practice Guidelines ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Robust Methods ◽  
Practice Recommendations

The European Association of Urology (EAU) annually updates 21 clinical practice guidelines in which summaries of the evidence base and best practice recommendations are made. The methodology applied to achieve this and integrate stakeholder opinion is continuously improving. However, there is evidence to suggest wide variation in clinical practice indicating that many patients receive suboptimal and heterogeneous care. Studies from certain countries suggest that 2 out of 5 patients do not receive care according to the current scientific evidence, and in 1 out of 4 cases the care provided is potentially harmful. Clearly, the harmonisation of care in alignment with evidence-based best practice recommendations is something to strive for. Development of robust methods to disseminate and implement guideline recommendations and measure their impact is an objective the EAU is committed to improving. An important strategy for achieving harmonisation in urological care across Europe is to ensure the availability of high-quality clinical practice guidelines and to actively promote their implementation by clinicians and healthcare providers.

Best Practice Principles When Working With Individuals With Intellectual Disability and Comorbid Mental Health Concerns

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 560-571 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joyce Man ◽  
Maria Kangas
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Intellectual Disability ◽  
Intellectual Disabilities ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Evidence Based Practice ◽  
Health Assessment ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Mental Health Assessment ◽  
Complex Process

Working with individuals with dual disabilities can be a complex process in the presence of limited evidence base to guide clinical practice. The aims of this qualitative study were to investigate perceptions of best practices of Australian psychologists who work with this specialist population. Thirty-eight Australian psychologists working in the intellectual disability field participated in eight semistructured focus groups. Perceptions of evidence-based practice for individuals with intellectual disabilities and in relation to mental health assessment were explored. Psychologists demonstrated resourcefulness in adapting to limits in available evidence-based practice and in modifying mainstream practice to suit the needs of individuals with dual disabilities. Findings suggest the necessity of practice-based evidence in contributing to the evidence base, and person-centered approaches in relation to best practice for people with intellectual disabilities. Implications for strengthening psychologists’ clinical competency and bridging the research and practice gap are discussed.

Interventions for Gang-Affiliated Youth

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Boxer
Keyword(s):  
Transition To Adulthood ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Multisystemic Therapy ◽  
Behavioral Theory ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Youth Offenders ◽  
Intervention Models ◽  
Social Ecological ◽  
The Life Course

When it comes to helping gang-involved youth, interventionists are faced with a significant primary challenge: Must youth leave their gangs before receiving treatment? Or can treatment successfully be delivered while a youth remains gang-affiliated? Despite a broad evidence base showing the effectiveness of interventions for aggressive, antisocial, and/or justice-involved youth, there is very little research illuminating the effectiveness of individualized interventions for gang-involved youth in particular. This is a significant gap in the literature given that gang-involved youth typically exhibit significantly higher levels of violence and victimization than do other youth. However, existing best-practice intervention models might hold promise for effectively serving gang-involved youth. These models indicate that interventions for youth offenders should be grounded in behavioral theory while focusing on caregiver skills and family dynamics and leveraging broader social-ecological supports. Recent evaluations of two evidence-based interventions (Functional Family Therapy and Multisystemic Therapy) with respect to how they work for gang-involved youth indicate that it is indeed possible to implement effective treatment for this population. The probability of successfully treating gang-involved youth also might be augmented through the integration of new discoveries emanating from the life-course study of gang members. Specifically, it might be possible to leverage the motivating value of typical life events during the transition to adulthood to encourage youth to leave the gang lifestyle and all its attendant risks. One key task for interventionists, then, is to ensure that gang-involved youth can be engaged and maintained long enough in treatment to benefit from those motivations during that critical natural developmental transition.

scholarly journals ‘It’s a Profession, it Isn’t a Job’: Police Officers’ Views on the Professionalisation of Policing in England

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 4-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Lumsden
Keyword(s):  
Police Officers ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Qualitative Interviews ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Top Down ◽  
New Public ◽  
Government Reforms ◽  
Evidence Based Policing

This article focuses on police officers’ views on the professionalisation of policing in England against a backdrop of government reforms to policing via establishment of the College of Policing, evidence-based policing, and a period of austerity. Police officers view professionalisation as linked to top-down government reforms, education and recruitment, building of an evidence-base, and ethics of policing (Peelian principles). These elements are further entangled with new public management principles, highlighting the ways in which professionalism can be used as a technology of control to discipline workers. There are tensions between the government’s top-down drive for police organisations to professionalise and officers’ bottom-up views on policing as an established profession. Data are presented from qualitative interviews with 15 police officers and staff in England.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document