REU Site: Connecting Research to Practice in Crime Analytics

该项目由社会，行为和经济科学理事会（SBE）本科生研究经验（REU）站点计划资助。拟议的REU网站汇集了阿肯色大学（UA）的跨学科研究团队和全国各地的犯罪学/刑事司法从业人员，为学生提供学习创新犯罪分析方法的机会，以研究当今一些最紧迫的社会问题。REU网站旨在为对犯罪分析有广泛兴趣的学生，以及对以下问题有更具体兴趣的学生提供深入的研究体验：1)恐怖主义，暴力极端主义和仇恨犯罪；2)社区和犯罪。犯罪和司法报道占媒体关注的很大比例，而刑事司法和国土安全仍然是地方、区域和国家各级政策制定的突出问题。REU网站整合了外部机构、组织和公司以及外部教师，以提供一个全面的研究经验，专注于数据到实践。主要目标是培养学生解决问题的能力，制定研究计划，对数据进行基本分析，并将研究成果传达给不同的受众。在此过程中，项目小组将产生有可能影响司法政策、制定预防犯罪战略和创建更安全社区的研究成果。这将通过以下方式实现：1)参与和指导多样化和代表性不足的本科生；2)对当前研究最佳实践的本科生进行教育和培训；3)说明犯罪分析中学术和实践工作之间的联系；4)在本科生中建立技能和社会网络，以便在研究生院和职业上取得成功。我们正在广泛地培训社会科学家，同时强调在刑事司法和犯罪学项目中研究和犯罪分析对不同群体的重要性。在REU期间获得的知识和技能可转移到学生的家庭机构，研究生院，社区和劳动力。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project is funded from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE). The proposed REU site brings together an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Arkansas (UA) and criminology/criminal justice practitioners throughout the nation to provide students opportunities to learn innovative crime analysis approaches for studying some of today’s most pressing social problems. The REU site is designed to provide an in-depth research experience for students who have an interest in crime analytics broadly, as well as for students who have more specific interests in issues of: 1) terrorism, violent extremism, and hate crime and 2) community and crime. Crime and justice stories account for a significant proportion of media attention, while criminal justice and homeland security remain prominent concerns for policy development at local, regional, and national levels. The REU site integrates external agencies, organizations, and corporations along with external faculty members to provide a well-rounded research experience focused on data-to-practice.The primary goal is to train students to problem solve, develop a research plan, conduct basic analyses of data, and communicate research findings to diverse audiences. In doing so, the project teams will produce research findings with the potential to impact justice policy, develop crime prevention strategies, and create safer communities. This will be achieved by: 1) engaging and mentoring diverse and underrepresented undergraduate students, 2) educating and training undergraduate students on current research best practices, 3) illustrating connections between academic and practitioner work in crime analytics, and 4) building skills and social networks among undergraduate students for graduate school and professional success. We are training social scientists broadly, while highlighting the importance of research and crime analytics for diverse groups in criminal justice and criminology programs. The knowledge and skills gained during the REU are transferable to the student’s home institution, graduate school, community, and workforce.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.