Research Productivity of Law Enforcement Scholars: Are Those with Practical Experience Equal to Their Peers without Practical Experience?

Abstract

The present study examines the research productivity of criminal justice scholars with a declared specialisation in law enforcement. Focus is on distinguishing and comparing the productivity, measured as publications, citations and grant dollars received, for law enforcement scholars who do and do not have a minimum of 5 years of practical experience in law enforcement. Using the membership of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences' Policing Section, data are drawn from members' curriculum vitae to assess total publications, publication of refereed articles, books, textbooks and grant dollars received. When looking at the research productivity — measured as publications, citations and receipt of grant dollars — the results suggest that law enforcement scholars with significant, real-world experience are research productive, but in different ways and at different levels than law enforcement scholars who do not bring significant real-world law enforcement experience to their work.