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
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

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.