Bitna Kim
Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Key Findings
- Partnerships between police, probation, and parole officers exist, but they are largely informal.
- Partnerships between police chiefs, chief probation and parole officers were based on the effort that the police chief invested.
- Newer chiefs are more likely to initiate partnerships with chief probation and parole officers.
- Police chiefs had a negative perception of the partnerships with chief probation and parole officers.
Description
In the article, “Working Together or Working on the Same Task but Separately? A Comparison of Police Chief and Chief Probation or Parole Officer Perceptions of Partnership,” Kim and her co-authors examine the relationship between police chiefs, chief probation and parole officers to determine the effectiveness of their joint work. The researchers conducted surveys to a random sample of more than 400 police chiefs, chief probation, and police officers from municipal police departments in Pennsylvania. The results showed that partnerships between police, probation, and parole officers exist, but they are largely informal. Partnerships between police chiefs, chief probation and parole officers were based on the effort that the police chief invested. Newer chiefs are more likely to initiate partnerships with chief probation and parole officers. In general, police chiefs had a negative perception of the partnerships with chief probation and parole officers. The authors note that the effectiveness of partnerships between the police, probation, and parole officers of preventing crime and recidivism are still unclear and more research is needed.