CJ490-01 Unit 3 Worksheet

Read the following research experiment conducted by the Police Foundation in 1974:

Kelling, G. L., Pate, T., Dieckman, D., & Brown, C. E. (1974). The Kansas City preventive patrol experiment: A summary report. Police Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.policefoundation.org/publication/the-kansas-city-preventive-patrol-experiment/

Brief summary:

The Kansas City preventive patrol experiment: Police Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.policefoundation.org/projects/the-kansas-city-preventive-patrol-experiment/

The experiment focused on the following research questions:

Would citizens notice changes in the level of police patrol?

Would different levels of visible police patrol affect recorded crime or the outcome of victim surveys?

Would citizen fear of crime and attendant behavior change as a result of differing patrol levels?

Would their degree of satisfaction with police change?

Pick ONE of the research questions above and complete the following five exercises.

Identify one independent variable from the selected research question.

In this scenario, the differing levels of visible police patrol being increased or decreased is the independent variable. Police will always have a visible presence because patrol is one of the most important components of their job but assigning more or less officers to be out on foot or driving around did not have the preventative effect that researchers initially thought it would on the Kansas City community. (nces.ed.gov, 2010) Crime will always be committed and is not dependent on how many officers citizens see on their drive to/from work. As the brief summary states, the public’s feeling of security and the level of crime committed was unaffected by traditional routine patrol in marked police cars. (policefoundation.org, 2016)

Kelling, G. L., Pate, T., Dieckman, D., & Brown, C. E. (1974). The Kansas City preventive patrol experiment: A summary report. Police Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.policefoundation.org/publication/the-kansas-city-preventive-patrol-experiment/

Maxfield, M. G., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Basics of research methods for criminal justice and criminology(4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Independent and Dependent Variables. (2010). Retrieved June 4, 2019, from https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/help/user_guide/graph/variables.asp

The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment. (2016). Retrieved June 4, 2019, from https://www.policefoundation.org/projects/the-kansas-city-preventive-patrol-experiment/

Indicate how the independent variable identified in #1 could be measured (conceptualize, operationalize, and describe the level of measurement for this variable).

Safety (or lack thereof) are concepts and frames of mind. Researchers should base their experiments and focus their resources on what citizens say makes them feel the safest. If adding more officers to visible patrol has no effect on their perception of safety, then they should not waste the time or resources on employing additional police officers and putting them out on the streets. (Kelling, Pate , Dieckman & Brown, 1974) To operationalize this scenario, we would put the citizens’ suggestions and concerns into action. After we implemented their ideas and put them into action, the level of measurement would be based on whether or not they feel a stronger sense of safety or if they felt the same as when we experimented with the number of officers out on patrol.

Kelling, G. L., Pate, T., Dieckman, D., & Brown, C. E. (1974). The Kansas City preventive patrol experiment: A summary report. Police Foundation. Retrieved from https://www.policefoundation.org/publication/the-kansas-city-preventive-patrol-experiment/

Maxfield, M. G., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Basics of research methods for criminal justice and criminology(4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Independent and Dependent Variables. (2010). Retrieved June 4, 2019, from https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/help/user_guide/graph/variables.asp

The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment. (2016). Retrieved June 4, 2019, from https://www.policefoundation.org/projects/the-kansas-city-preventive-patrol-experiment/

Identify one dependent variable from the selected research question.

I may be wrong, but I feel like the public’s perception and general satisfaction with the police force is dependent on the rate of crime. Citizens of Kansas City did not likely begin to esteem the police force more or less because of this experiment because there was no significant change in the rate of crime. If the experiment had been successful and the increased police presence had created a definitive decline in overall crime, I think the citizens of Kansas City would be more appreciative and satisfied with the police force.

Giese, J. L., & Cote, J. A. (2002). Defining Consumer Satisfaction. Retrieved June 3, 2019, from http://www.proserv.nu/b/Docs/Defining Customer Satisfaction.pdf

Maxfield, M. G., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Basics of research methods for criminal justice and criminology(4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Indicate how the dependent variable identified in #3 could be measured (conceptualize, operationalize, and describe the level of measurement for this variable).

A community’s level of satisfaction or dissatisfaction is something that can be conceptualized by assessing their emotional or cognitive responses when interviewed individually or as a group. If they use emotionally charged or intense words or phrases, that is likely indicative of dissatisfaction and the need for a change to take place within the police force. If they are nonchalant or appear neutral that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are happy or satisfied, but they recognize that good work is being done by the police force with only minor changes needed. Suggestions for improvement offered during the interview would help researchers and police administrators to not only make the police force better but also operationalize the experiment when suggestions are implemented. As before, the level of measurement is based upon a reassessment after improvements and corrections have been made to assess for increased or decreased satisfaction. (Giese & Cote, 2002)

Giese, J. L., & Cote, J. A. (2002). Defining Consumer Satisfaction. Retrieved June 3, 2019, from http://www.proserv.nu/b/Docs/Defining Customer Satisfaction.pdf

Maxfield, M. G., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Basics of research methods for criminal justice and criminology(4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Express the research question in a measureable hypothesis statement (ensure that the hypothesis statement includes the independent variable and the dependent variable you identified in items 1 and 2 above). Use the following structure to help formulate your answer:

Subjects who feel safe/secure are more/less likely to be satisfied with the police department than those who do not feel safe/secure.

(subjects) with (independent variable) are more/less likely to (dependent variable) than (subjects) without (independent variable)