How Research Benefits the Criminal Justice System

Assignment 1: How Research Benefits the Criminal Justice System
Centervale councilman Parsimonious has requested your help on a budgetary matter. The councilman is considering a proposal to change police work schedules to four 10-hour days rather than five 8-hour days to conserve his budget. He has approached you for help in determining which might be the best option.
Access the databases of articles from each of the following websites and locate at least two articles that can help support your research recommendations for Councilman Parsimonious:

National Institute of Justice Data Collections
National Criminal Justice Reference Service Databases

Submission Details:
By Week 2, Day 3, in a minimum of 250 words, post your responses to the following to the Discussion Area:

What issues must be considered for research, i.e., what are the pros and cons of creating a shift change?
What types of research (qualitative versus quantitative) would provide the best information for the councilman to develop his proposal? Be sure to explain why.
What would be a beneficial sample size?
How could officer sentiments on working longer shifts and fewer days be incorporated?
What are the specific steps in the research process that Councilman Parsimonious and his staff will have to take that will be most beneficial to them.

Be sure to support your recommendations citing your textbook as well as the research articles you found.
By Week 2, Day 7, read and respond to at least two of your classmates’ posts. Consider commenting on whether your fellow students’ postings addressed some of the pros and cons of a shift change and whether the research methods they suggest will address the issues they raise.
Discussion Grading Criteria and Rubric
All discussion assignments in this course will be graded using a rubric. This assignment is worth 40 points. Download the discussion rubric and carefully read it to understand the expectations.