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EVALUATION OF THE RAND CORPORATION'S ANALYSIS OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION PROCESS

NCJ Number
35215
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 43 Issue: 7 Dated: (JULY 1976) Pages: 20-24 AND 74-77
Author(s)
D F GATES; L KNOWLES
Date Published
1976
Length
9 pages
Annotation
SWEEPING CRITICISMS ARE LEVELLED AT THE RAND INSTITUTE'S STUDY OF THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION PROCESS (NCJ-32153, NCJ-32154, AND 32155).
Abstract
THE PREPONDERANCE OF THE CRITICISMS ARE ON THE METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED BY THE STUDY. OBJECTED TO WERE SMALL SAMPLES OF CASES AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS. MUCH OF THE DATA WAS GLEANED FROM THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE CRITICS HOLD THAT MANY OF THE CONCLUSIONS PUT FORTH ARE NOT EVEN VALID FOR KANSAS CITY. MANY OF THE MAJOR FINDINGS AND PROPOSED REFORMS ARE ATTACKED INDIVIDUALLY. IN SUMMATION, THE CRITICS CONTEND THAT THE RAND REPORT CONTAINS PROCEDURAL ERRORS THAT ERASE ALMOST ALL HOPE OF ACCURACY, HAS A FATALLY LIMITED DATA BASE, AND PRESENTS CONCLUSIONS THAT DO NOT FOLLOW FROM THE DATA PRESENTED AND WHICH IGNORE A HOST OF IMPORTANT RELATED INFLUENCES.