Laura Huey
Western University Canada, Sociology, Faculty Member
- I'm the Director of the Canadian Society of Evidence Based Policing (CAN-SEBP at www.can-sebp.net or @can_sebp), a Se... moreI'm the Director of the Canadian Society of Evidence Based Policing (CAN-SEBP at www.can-sebp.net or @can_sebp), a Senior Research Fellow with the Police Foundation, a member of the Board of SERENE-RISC (a NCE-funded cybercrime research consortium) and a Senior Researcher and University Representative for the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society. I am also the London Police Service Research Fellow and sit on the CAPG Research & Policy Committee and the Board of the Canadian Association of Police Educators. Previously I was a member of the Canadian Council of Academies' Expert Panel on the Future of Canadian Policing. All of this being a long-winded way of saying: I do a lot of work on policing topics.edit
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
ABSTRACT
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Most, if not all, police agencies are grappling with budget cuts at a time when demand for their services remains high. Discussions of how to best rationalize police service costs are challenged by the fact that police activities have... more
Most, if not all, police agencies are grappling with budget cuts at a time when demand for their services remains high. Discussions of how to best rationalize police service costs are challenged by the fact that police activities have grown so vast in size and scope that they present a conceptual muddle for would-be cost-cutters. Further, any recommendations for cuts tend to ignore larger and more systemic issues. In this article, we attempt to shed some conceptual clarity by mapping a range of workload and other demands that fall within two general domains of policing activity, termed here “operational” and “administrative” drivers. We believe that improved understanding of these drivers will shed needed light on how police organizations can best tackle what appears to be an intractable problem.
Research Interests:
NEGOTIATING DEMANDS: THE POLITICS OF SKID ROW POLICING IN EDINBURGH, SAN FRANCISCO, AND VANCOUVER The relationship between policing and the governance of society is an important and complex one, especially as it relates to destitute... more
NEGOTIATING DEMANDS: THE POLITICS OF SKID ROW POLICING IN EDINBURGH, SAN FRANCISCO, AND VANCOUVER The relationship between policing and the governance of society is an important and complex one, especially as it relates to destitute areas. ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests: Criminology, Psychology, Mental Health, Social Perception, Suicide prevention, and 15 moreMedicine, Chicago, Social Welfare, Humans, Female, Michigan, Crime Victims, Male Domestic Violence Victims, Middle Aged, Human Factors and Ergonomics, Adult, Urban Population, Poison Control, Homeless Persons, and Spouse abuse
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... Laura J. Huey University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC ... Final thoughts Despite claims that the character of police work is changing (Manning 1992), it is apparent that the traditional geographically rooted perceptual set that... more
... Laura J. Huey University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC ... Final thoughts Despite claims that the character of police work is changing (Manning 1992), it is apparent that the traditional geographically rooted perceptual set that the police apply to their work has adapted little. ...
Research Interests:
This study explores the role of social service providers in providing basic policing and security functions to residents of a marginalised community in Edinburgh. Through analysis of interview data, social service providers are revealed... more
This study explores the role of social service providers in providing basic policing and security functions to residents of a marginalised community in Edinburgh. Through analysis of interview data, social service providers are revealed as routinely engaging in a variety of activities traditionally associated with public policing, such as crime prevention activities, peacekeeping and order maintenance tasks, receiving complaints regarding
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Policing faces increased accountability measures, influencing officers to engage in “covering your ass” and over-documentation. In this qualitative study of police officers across three Canadian provinces, we unpack the “covering your... more
Policing faces increased accountability measures, influencing officers to engage in “covering your ass” and over-documentation. In this qualitative study of police officers across three Canadian provinces, we unpack the “covering your ass” mentality by exploring the paperwork burden as an unintended consequence of movements toward greater policing accountability. We find that covering your ass leads officers to complete paperwork to protect themselves from personally being investigated. They use paperwork to ensure they overcome any legal vulnerabilities by justifying their actions and explaining their interpretations of other officers’ actions. We present policy implications of these findings tied to police accountability, the impacts of covering your ass, and the resulting paperwork burden.
Research Interests:
Research shows that, for most people, homelessness is not a chronic state that one enters and never leaves. Instead, homelessness tends to be dynamic, with individuals cycling in and out of multiple periods of homelessness throughout... more
Research shows that, for most people, homelessness is not a chronic state that one enters and never leaves. Instead, homelessness tends to be dynamic, with individuals cycling in and out of multiple periods of homelessness throughout their lives. Despite this recognition, and a wealth of research on the causes of homelessness, generally, there is a lack of scholarship on the pathways to multiple episodes of homelessness. In particular, the relationship between violent victimization and women’s likelihood of being homeless multiple times is largely unexplored. Drawing on data collected from 269 structured interviews conducted with women using the services of homeless shelters and/or transitional housing in three U.S. and two U.K. cities, we use multivariate logistic regression to assess whether violent victimization increases women’s likelihood of experiencing multiple episodes of homelessness. Our results show that adult victims of stranger-perpetrated physical assault are significa...
Research Interests:
Recently, we have seen a steady growth in the number of police practitioners and agencies adopting evidence-based policing (EBP). At its core, EBP rests on a central tenet: police decision-making should be ‘based on scientific evidence... more
Recently, we have seen a steady growth in the number of police practitioners and agencies adopting evidence-based policing (EBP). At its core, EBP rests on a central tenet: police decision-making should be ‘based on scientific evidence about what works best’ (Sherman, L. W. (1998). Evidence Based Policing. Washington, DC: Police Foundation). While this proposition seems straightforward, it places a responsibility on police leaders for which they may be unprepared. Understanding how best to commission, resource, appreciate the strengths and limitations of and/or make actionable the products of research, requires senior officers to have some level of familiarity with the research process. One potential source of that knowledge is police leader training and education. However, no one has yet explored the question of whether police leadership programs are adequately preparing senior officers for the world of EBP. To examine this issue, the authors present the results of an analysis of 29 in-depth qualitative interviews with senior Canadian police officers.
Research Interests:
Previous surveys have demonstrated that not all police professionals are open to the idea that research can play an important role in policing. To examine how Canadian police professionals view this issue, we conducted a survey of 598... more
Previous surveys have demonstrated that not all police professionals are open to the idea that research can play an important role in policing. To examine how Canadian police professionals view this issue, we conducted a survey of 598 civilian and sworn police professionals from seven Canadian police services. The survey responses allowed us to gauge receptivity towards research and determine what factors predict receptivity. We also examined factors that differentiate the most receptive police professionals from others. Compared with previous surveys, our respondents were more receptive to research. Furthermore, having higher education, holding a more senior rank, and being exposed to research (e.g., attending conferences) were associated with higher levels of receptivity to research. The results from this study can potentially be used to increase receptivity to research among police professionals, which may help police services become more efficient and effective.
Research Interests:
Although there has been significant public and academic interest in the ability of police to harness new technologies in order to solve crimes, there has been significantly less focus on how the proliferation of new technologies has... more
Although there has been significant public and academic interest in the ability of police to harness new technologies in order to solve crimes, there has been significantly less focus on how the proliferation of new technologies has impacted police workloads. In this exploratory study, we begin the process of rectifying this oversight by exploring some of the challenges mobile technologies pose to investigators working in a special investigations unit. Our work is informed by an analysis of data collected through in-depth interviews with police investigators to address the following research question: “To what extent has the complexity of special victims (sex crimes) investigations changed over time?”. Our findings indicate that technology is the most prominent factor leading to increased complexity of investigations. Specifically, technology adds to the volume of evidence that must be examined and managed, rapid advances in technology require additional training and expertise, and ...
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This practical and accessible guide shows how police forces of all sizes can successfully adopt evidence-based methods. Drawing on experiences of North American policing, it sets out ways for decision makers to reshape practices,... more
This practical and accessible guide shows how police forces of all sizes can successfully adopt evidence-based methods. Drawing on experiences of North American policing, it sets out ways for decision makers to reshape practices, strategies and organizational structures, and overcome barriers to change.
Research Interests:
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the “power few” concept in relation to missing persons and the locations from which they are reported missing.Design/methodology/approachData on missing persons’ cases (n = 26,835) were... more
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the “power few” concept in relation to missing persons and the locations from which they are reported missing.Design/methodology/approachData on missing persons’ cases (n = 26,835) were extracted from the record management system of a municipal Canadian police service and used to create data sets of all of the reports associated with select repeat missing adults (n = 1943) and repeat missing youth (n = 6,576). From these sources, the five locations from which repeat missing adults and youth were most commonly reported missing were identified (“power few” locations). The overall frequency of reports generated by these locations was then assessed by examining all reports of both missing and repeat missing cases, and demographic and incident factors were also examined.FindingsThis study uncovers ten addresses (five for adults; five for youths) in the City from which this data was derived that account for 45 percent of all adults and 52 percen...
Research Interests:
Most, if not all, police agencies are grappling with budget cuts at a time when demand for their services remains high. Discussions of how to best rationalize police service costs are challenged by the fact that police activities have... more
Most, if not all, police agencies are grappling with budget cuts at a time when demand for their services remains high. Discussions of how to best rationalize police service costs are challenged by the fact that police activities have grown so vast in size and scope that they present a conceptual muddle for would-be cost-cutters. Further, any recommendations for cuts tend to ignore larger and more systemic issues. In this article, we attempt to shed some conceptual clarity by mapping a range of workload and other demands that fall within two general domains of policing activity, termed here “operational” and “administrative” drivers. We believe that improved understanding of these drivers will shed needed light on how police organizations can best tackle what appears to be an intractable problem.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
As a masculinist space, ‘the streets’ present a variety of dangers to homeless women, a fact that has received too little attention within the social science literature. This study utilizes data drawn from interviews with homeless women... more
As a masculinist space, ‘the streets’ present a variety of dangers to homeless women, a fact that has received too little attention within the social science literature. This study utilizes data drawn from interviews with homeless women and service providers in Edinburgh, San Francisco, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa, to explore the complex survival strategies that homeless women develop to prevent criminal victimization. Through women's words, we see that gender is understood strategically as performance. Four gender performances are identified and discussed: the ‘femininity simulacrum’, the ‘masculinity simulacrum’, ‘genderlessness’ and ‘passing’. We discussed how each of these performances is employed in the pursuit of safety and security in frequently violent and chaotic social spaces.
Research Interests:
In the present paper we examine the operation of a community policing programme that facilitates reporting of victimisation by homeless victims of crime through the assistance of local community service providers. Using data from two... more
In the present paper we examine the operation of a community policing programme that facilitates reporting of victimisation by homeless victims of crime through the assistance of local community service providers. Using data from two sources – our original study of Homeless Remote Reporting in 2003 and a follow-up evaluation conducted in 2008 – we examine the extent to which
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Given that there is very little research available – in Canada or elsewhere – on police leadership education and training, and police are being challenged to work in increasingly complex decision and task environments, an empirical... more
Given that there is very little research available – in Canada or elsewhere – on police leadership education and training, and police are being challenged to work in increasingly complex decision and task environments, an empirical analysis in this area is both timely and of significance utility for shaping both public policy and police practice. This study answers the following research questions: RQ1. What forms of police leader education and training currently exist for Canadian police leaders? RQ2. Are these courses and/or programs suitable for the needs of police leaders given the demands they face? To answer these questions, we conducted a two-part study. The first part consisted of an environmental scan of training and educational programs for police leaders. This scan helped us by providing a basis for understanding what current program offerings exist for Canadian police leaders – both within Canada and across the globe. The goal of the second part of the study was to devel...