Investigating involves identifying and addressing the issues by analyzing and collecting various forms of evidence. Typically, experience and training influence the investigation procedure. Investigators are taught how to analyze the scene and ask appropriate questions. This is reinforced and refined from real-world experiences.
However, the law enforcement agencies increasingly realize that their knowledge and training, and even collective experiences of a department or agency are not sufficient. Sometimes it is necessary to use additional tools to comprehend the context of a new situation, reduce bias, and avoid investigating “tunnel vision.”
Thus, many departments are showing an ever-growing interest in assisting with the policy of police and a strategic response through examining criminal activities.
An evidence-based police force (EBP) method provides law enforcement with a solid foundation to solve real-world problems by compiling and disseminating research initiatives focused on policing.1 Although EBP is extensively discussed in both the professional and academic literature on policing. It tends to concentrate on strategic policing and policies rather than behavioural or investigative research that is more centrally focused on solving specific crimes.
Research is generally systematic inquiry. It begins with a question and follows a procedure to determine the answer. The quest for answers is augmented by the scientific method that guarantees the validity of the first questions as well as the generalizability and reliable quality of the results.
Research in the field of behavioural and investigative is often sought-after by decision-makers who are savvy about research to tackle a specific issue or to be revealed by collaborating with other police institutions or an academic partner. In some instances, researchers are requested by researchers who believe their research is relevant to a current case.
Whatever source research comes from, the law enforcement decision-makers can best connect the dots between the research results and the direction an investigation takes. While research is an instrument which can provide immense benefit, it could also be misused. This is why it is crucial to understand the research process and how it can be applied to research.
Research Limitations
One of the most effective methods to assess a particular research project is to recognize its weaknesses. One could determine the effectiveness of the research by recognizing where the evidence is weak. It is essential to understand when to discard research findings and when they are not justifications for rejecting. Certain limitations can be accepted if they are recognized and considered when conducting analyses and making recommendations.
Critical Questions
In conducting studies, it’s essential to formulate critical questions. The focus should be on determining the limits of the research and addressing initial assumptions, the plan of the study, and how the results are interpreted. Critical questions are the opportunity to probe for possible limitations. Researchers may account for some, but others could have been ignored or intentionally concealed.
Five crucial questions can aid decision-makers in determining the research limits and the findings’ significance. Although these questions are offered within an environment of behaviour or investigational research, these questions are essential to consider when considering any research.
- What is the objective of this study?
- What’s being requested?
- What is the question being demanded?
- What’s essential about the findings of the research?
- What can and can’t be done by the result?
Each of these questions will be explained in greater depth below. In each of the questions are ideas that law enforcement decision-makers might be interested in considering when evaluating the research. Experiments can serve as examples. This article is not meant to evaluate or criticize particular research initiatives. Instead, it provides helpful tools law enforcement officials can use to draw the conclusions they want.
What Is the Purpose of the Research?
Knowing the reason for research is essential to understanding its motivation and what might influence the assumptions and biases that are initially made. Understanding the reason for research requires recognizing the kind of research being carried out and what it’s intended to accomplish.
Type of Research
The primary focus of research is comprehending the scope of a specific issue. For instance, gathering codes and collecting information from cases to investigate subjects such as “child abduction,” “computer hacking,” or “serial murder” is basic research. While it’s not used to resolve urgent problems, the primary research method is often used to define an event. It can also be utilized to formulate theories and construct models of a specific topic.
The basis of applied research is specific questions relating to particular issues. Implementing a clear list of issues is crucial to organizing the research goals and linking them to the actual world. In the context of investigative research, applied research may produce conclusions accompanied by guidelines and forecasts.