Telling Stories: The Disconnect Between Police Problem Description and Response Frames

• In Event: Issues in Community-Oriented and Problem-Oriented Policing

Abstract

The way that we describe, or frame, our problems influences how we approach our responses (Fagley & Miller, 1990; Tversky & Kahneman, 1986), or so theory would have us believe. For example, if we begin telling a crime story about a broken windows problem, then our response activities should include broken windows style responses (Wilson & Kelling, 1982). But, have police been trained to make this connection? This research examines a series of problem stories told through submissions for the Herman Goldstein Award for Excellence in Problem-Oriented Policing (sponsored by the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing). The analysis compares the frameworks used to describe community crime problems to those that are used to explain the responses that were applied to the problems. The results suggest that training is needed to aid police problem solvers in linking problems to responses.

Author

• Kathleen M. Gallagher, The Analysis Group