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Systematic Observation of Public Police: Applying Field Research Methods to Policy Issues.

PB2000105322

Publication Date	1998
Personal Author	Mastrofski, S. D.; Parks, R. B.; Reiss, A. J.; Worden, R. E.; DeJong, C.; Snipes, J. B.; Terrill, W.
Page Count	58
Abstract	This report describes systematic social observation (SSO), a field research method used to study police. This method has shown promise in answering many of the questions regarding how police work is conducted today. It was developed originally to guide field research on policing in the 1960s and 1970s. Most recently, SSO was employed by the Project on Policing Neighborhoods (POPN) to study police behavior in Indianapolis, Indiana, and St. Petersburg, Florida, and other research projects use it as well. The report describes the method and explores SSO's potential as a field research tool in a variety of venues.
Keywords	Human behavior Police Law enforcement officers Observation Patterns Judgment Reasoning Supervision Personnel management Quality control Employment Research projects Surveys Mobilization Policies SSO(Systematic Social Observation) Systematic Social Observation Police work
Source Agency	Department of Justice General
Corporate Authors	Michigan State Univ., East Lansing.; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT.; Florida State Univ., Tallahassee.; State Univ. of New York at Albany.; National Inst. of Justice, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Prepared in cooperation with Yale Univ., New Haven, CT., State Univ. of New York at Albany. and Florida State Univ., Tallahassee. Sponsored by National Inst. of Justice, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200015

Systematic Observation of Public Police: Applying Field Research Methods to Policy Issues.

Systematic Observation of Public Police: Applying Field Research Methods to Policy Issues.
PB2000105322

Publication Date	1998
Personal Author	Mastrofski, S. D.; Parks, R. B.; Reiss, A. J.; Worden, R. E.; DeJong, C.; Snipes, J. B.; Terrill, W.
Page Count	58
Abstract	This report describes systematic social observation (SSO), a field research method used to study police. This method has shown promise in answering many of the questions regarding how police work is conducted today. It was developed originally to guide field research on policing in the 1960s and 1970s. Most recently, SSO was employed by the Project on Policing Neighborhoods (POPN) to study police behavior in Indianapolis, Indiana, and St. Petersburg, Florida, and other research projects use it as well. The report describes the method and explores SSO's potential as a field research tool in a variety of venues.
Keywords	Human behavior Police Law enforcement officers Observation Patterns Judgment Reasoning Supervision Personnel management Quality control Employment Research projects Surveys Mobilization Policies SSO(Systematic Social Observation) Systematic Social Observation Police work
Source Agency	Department of Justice General
Corporate Authors	Michigan State Univ., East Lansing.; Yale Univ., New Haven, CT.; Florida State Univ., Tallahassee.; State Univ. of New York at Albany.; National Inst. of Justice, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Prepared in cooperation with Yale Univ., New Haven, CT., State Univ. of New York at Albany. and Florida State Univ., Tallahassee. Sponsored by National Inst. of Justice, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200015