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Humility is a Virtue: On the Publicization of Policy-Relevant Research

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2024

Richard Lempert
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Abstract

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In their paper in this issue Sherman and Cohn (1989) respond to arguments I made in this journal about when research is ripe for publicity. This paper continues the conversation by pointing out that policy-relevant research may be publicized at three levels: (1) in professional journals, (2) directly to those practitioners whose practice decisions might be informed by the research results, and (3) through the mass media. I then argue that the reliability of the results, the ability to communicate main findings precisely, and the likely effects of publicity are keys to responsible publicization at all levels. In weighing these factors researchers must regulate themselves, but to guide them the law and society community should seek to develop professional norms. I comment on some of the considerations that should guide such norms, using the Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment and the publicity it received as an example.

Type
Research Article
Information
Law & Society Review , Volume 23 , Issue 1 , 1989 , pp. 145 - 161
Copyright
Copyright © 1989 The Law and Society Association.

Footnotes

I would like to thank Shari Diamond for her editorial suggestions.

References

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SHERMAN, Lawrence W., and Richard A., BERK (1984a) “The Minneapolis Domestic Violence Experiment,” April, Police Foundation Reports.Google Scholar
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