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Integrating research and practice in federal law enforcement: Secret Service applications of behavioral science expertise to protect the President
Author(s) -
Coggins Margaret H.,
Pynchon Marisa Reddy,
Dvoskin Joel A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
behavioral sciences and the law
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.649
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1099-0798
pISSN - 0735-3936
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-0798(199824)16:1<51::aid-bsl293>3.0.co;2-b
Subject(s) - law enforcement , context (archaeology) , poison control , behavioural sciences , public relations , economic justice , intervention (counseling) , enforcement , psychology , criminal justice , engineering ethics , service (business) , suicide prevention , applied psychology , computer security , law , criminology , political science , computer science , medicine , business , engineering , psychiatry , environmental health , paleontology , psychotherapist , biology , marketing
This paper discusses specific behavioral research needs by law enforcement and justice systems to guide forensic decision‐making in areas of targeted violence. Continuing incidents of stalking, workplace violence, and threats to public figures underscore the importance of developing empirically based risk assessment and intervention strategies. Reviewing briefly the relevant literatures in these areas, this paper describes deficits in these literatures and the absence of a model for integrating research and practice in applied settings. The U.S. Secret Service Behavioral Research Program is explored as one example of how behavioral science expertise may be integrated with law enforcement responsibilities. Considerations associated with building behavioral research capacities in applied settings are examined in the context of differences in professional orientation, values, and access to information. Specific research directions to improve understanding of targeted violence are recommended along with suggestions for ways in which the psychology‐law field may facilitate integration of research into practice. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.