Exploring Sociodrama as a Novel Research Methodology in the Context of the Police Professionalisation Debate in the UK

• In Event: Studying the criminal justice system through qualitative methodologies

Abstract

This paper explores the use of sociodrama as a methodological approach to uncovering silenced voices and hidden power within complex social and organisational settings. Emphasising action methods, co-construction research, and group reflection, the study highlights sociodrama's potential for fostering emotional, cognitive, and kinaesthetic learning. The research is situated within the ongoing professionalisation debate in UK policing, with a particular focus on police education and the introduction of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA).

Sociodrama, developed by Jacob Moreno (1943), allows participants to engage in collective role play, facilitating deeper insights into power imbalances, social conflicts, and group dynamics. While widely used in education, mental health, and conflict resolution, its application in formal research remains limited. This study extends its use by employing sociodrama to examine the tensions surrounding policing professionalisation and the impact of academic pathways. Participants, including police educators involved in the three main policing entry routes, engaged in role-playing exercises that revealed the cultural and organisational challenges of integrating higher education into police training.

Findings from the study were further contextualised through insights from a previous study (Lennie, Sutton, & Crozier, 2021) that employed psychodrama to investigate the emotional labour of police officers. While psychodrama focused on individual emotional experiences, sociodrama illuminated collective social and organisational dynamics. Together, these methodologies provided a comprehensive approach to understanding the complex professionalisation debate in policing.

This research demonstrates that sociodrama is a valuable tool for both data collection and participant engagement, offering an empathetic means of exploring societal issues. By integrating sociodrama into research methodologies, scholars can better capture the lived experiences and competing perspectives within complex institutional debates, ultimately contributing to a more nuanced understanding of professionalisation in policing.

Authors

• Sarah-Jane Lennie, The Open University

• Lucy Elizabeth Davies, The Open University