LibGuides: Criminology: Policing

What's on this Page

On this page, you will find key, specialist resources for studying policing. You will find guidance on finding books, journals, databases, handbooks and encyclopaedias, as well as key websites.

We encourage you to use all the tabs on the Criminology guide to find general resources and guidance that will be useful and important for you. The “Referencing” tab will take you to our guidance for APA 7.

If you need any help, you can contact your Learning and Teaching Librarians through Hallam Help.

Searching for Policing Books

Most books relevant to Policing can be found at the Collegiate Library. However, you may need to use books from the Adsetts Library for some modules.

To find details of the exact location and availability of print books and electronic books, please use Library Search. On the search results page, click on the title of a book to see information about all the copies. To use an eBook click on the 'Available online' link underneath the title in the same search.

Use the shelfmark you find on Library Search to locate the book in the library. Here are some common shelfmarks.

Topic	Shelfmark
Police services	363.2
Police accountability	363.20941
Crime Prevention	363.23
Patrol and surveillance	363.232
Enforcement of civil laws	363.233
Detection of crime (Criminal investigation)	363.25
Cybercrime	363.25968

New Books

Card and English on Police Law by Richard Card
ISBN: 9780192866165
Publication Date: 2022-10-14
Police Law meets the reference needs of thousands of police officers, and provides an excellent source of information for members of the public wishing to refer to a legal text written in an accessible way. It is a practical volume for everyday use, which police officers and others working and studying in this area will find invaluable. Case law developments are also described, as are revisions to the PACE Codes.
Academic Writing and Referencing for your Policing Degree by Jane Bottomley; Steven Pryjmachuk; Martin Wright
Call Number: 363.2071 BOT
ISBN: 9781913063436
Publication Date: 2020-02-12
Academic Writing and Referencing for your Policing Degree provides you with a sound knowledge and understanding of: what constitutes good academic writing in policing a range of strategies for writing successful essays and reports the importance of clarity and coherence in your writing about policing how to improve your academic style, grammar and punctuation, and formatting and presentation referencing conventions in the field of policing, and of how to avoid plagiarism.
Behavioural Skills for Effective Policing: The Service Speaks by Mark Kilgallon; Martin Wright
ISBN: 9781914171390
Publication Date: 2022-02-14
Behavioural skills are essential to effective policing practice and professional development, and are also embedded within the policing competency frameworks. As the police service looks to further redefine its role in the twenty-first century, this critical handbook covers the full range of these proficiencies, from building rapport, applying emotional intelligence, building empathy and resilience to diversity and difference, understanding ethics, and developing coaching and leadership skills. Each chapter is written by a distinguished serving or former senior police leader and/or policing scholar, bringing together a wealth of experience and understanding and applying this knowledge in context through key case studies and examples. Suitable for serving police officers at all levels, as well as policing lecturers and students aspiring to join the police, this book encourages and enables a people-centred approach to policing that balances the debate that has given disproportionate credence to transactional skills at the expense of a more transformational approach.
Criminal Investigation by Iain Stainton; Robert Ewin; Tony Blockley
Call Number: 363.25 STA
ISBN: 9781914171512
Publication Date: 2022-02-07
Criminal investigation is an essential topic, running through the new national policing curriculum from volume crime to serious organised criminality. This book provides accessible and comprehensive coverage, with case studies and examples to embed understanding, clear links between theory and practice, and a range of critical thinking and review activities. It examines investigation from inception to conclusion, detailing methods, explaining legal requirements and reflecting on past investigations. The contributory roles of specialists and forensic support are examined to provide an inclusive overview of the whole investigative process.
Improving Intelligence Analysis in Policing by Stuart Kirby; Scott Keay
ISBN: 9781000391671
Publication Date: 2021-06-09
This book explains how improvements in intelligence analysis can benefit policing. Written by experts with experience in police higher education and professional practice, this accessible text provides students with both practical knowledge and a critical understanding of the subject. The book is divided into three key parts: Part One outlines how the concept of intelligence was initially embraced and implemented by the police and provides a critique of intelligence sources. It examines the strategic use of intelligence and its procedural framework. It provides a summary of the role of the intelligence analyst, establishing the characteristics of effective practitioners. Part Two describes good practice and explains the practical tools and techniques that effective analysts use in the reduction and investigation of crime. Part Three examines more recent developments in intelligence analysis and looks to the future. This includes the move to multi-agency working, the advent of big data and the role of AI and machine learning. Filled with case studies and practical examples, this book is essential reading for all undergraduates and postgraduates taking courses in Professional Policing, and Criminal Justice more widely. It will also be of interest to existing practitioners in this field.
Police Procedure and Evidence in the Criminal Justice System by Barrie Archer; George Ellison; Tony Blockley
ISBN: 9781914171994
Publication Date: 2023-01-03
Police procedure and evidence brought to life! A key text for all those on policing degree or other pre-join routes, this book examines police procedure and evidence in the criminal justice system, providing clear and accessible information while encouraging analysis and reflection. Chapters cover police powers, stop and search, arrest and custody, disposals, court procedures and disclosure, and rehabilitation. Uniquely it follows the journey of a fictional family who all in one way or another become involved in the criminal justice system, allowing students to consider a range of possible options and outcomes and bringing the theory to life.

Journals

To explore an area in more detail, you will need to read journals. Journals and periodicals contain articles and are published at regular intervals. Journals are very good for keeping up to date with the latest news and research or for information about a very specific subject.

BrowZine

To find journals specific to Policing, you can use BrowZine. BrowZine is the catalogue of the electronic journals that the Hallam Library has access to. You can browse through the catalogue by subject area or search for a particular title. You can keep up to date with your favourite academic journals by downloading the BrowZine app to your mobile devise and saving your top journals. Each time a new issue of that journal is published, you will be alerted to the new content.

Key Journals

The Police Journal
The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles is a peer-reviewed journal that publishes original research studies, conceptual articles, theoretical overviews or reviews, and articles on good practice or practice evaluation, to reflect the constantly changing landscape in which police personnel around the World operate.
Police Practice and Research
Police Practice & Research presents current and innovative police research with a focus on informing policing policy, programs and/or practice around the globe.
Police Quarterly
Police Quarterly emphasizes policy-oriented research of interest to both practitioners and academics. Police Quarterly seeks to publish both qualitative and quantitative police-related research.
Policing
This peer-reviewed journal contains critical analysis and commentary on a wide range of topics including current law enforcement policies, police reform, political and legal developments, training and education, patrol and investigative operations, accountability, comparative police practices, and human and civil rights.
Policing and Society
Policing & Society is widely acknowledged as the leading international academic journal specialising in the study of policing institutions and their practices. It is concerned with all aspects of how policing articulates and animates the social contexts in which it is located. This includes:

• Social scientific investigations of police policy and activity
• Legal and political analyses of police powers and governance
• Management oriented research on aspects of police organisation
Cambridge Journal of Evidence-Based Policing
This journal furthers empirical research on Evidence-Based Policing, the systematic practice of applying research to decision-making in policing. The contents include original research and review articles in three main areas: Targeting- Identifying priorities for resources based on concentrations of crime (including time, day, season, area, persons, situations, and types of crime); Testing- Examining police practices through randomized controlled trials, systematic review, algorithmic forecasting, meta-analyses, and other methods; and Tracking- Studying police actions, in relation to measured outcomes for police objectives, to evaluate their effectiveness.

Databases

Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text This link opens in a new window
Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text provides full text access to an extensive range of journals relating to criminology and criminal justice.
"Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text? is the full-text counterpart of Criminal Justice Abstracts?, formerly a SAGE database. This resource includes bibliographic records and full text covering essential areas related to criminal justice and criminology. The increasing globalization of criminology is reflected in Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text?s coverage of hundreds of journals from around the world.Criminal Justice Abstracts with Full Text contains more than 400,000 records selected from the most important sources within the discipline. This resource includes full text for more than 270 magazines and journals."

Online Handbooks

Oxford Handbooks Online Criminology and Criminal Justice
Blackstone Handbooks on Policing

Oxford Handbooks Online Criminology and Criminal Justice
A collection of full text articles on criminology and criminal justice. You can search for particular topics, browse by subject, or look at specific handbooks.
Oxford Handbooks Online brings together the world's leading scholars to write review essays that evaluate the current thinking on a field or topic, and make an original argument about the future direction of the debate. The Oxford Handbooks are one of the most successful and cited series within scholarly publishing, containing in-depth, high-level articles by scholars at the top of their field and for the first time.
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Search Tip: To navigate to the collection, click “Subject”, “Social Sciences”, and then “Criminology and Criminal Justice”.

Blackstone's police manual 2023. Volume 1, Crime by Paul Connor; College of Policing
ISBN: 99702795102501
Publication Date: 2022
Blackstone's police manual 2023. Volume 2, Evidence and procedure by Glenn Hutton; Dave Johnston; College of Policing
ISBN: 99702795002501
Publication Date: 2022
Blackstone's police manual 2023. Volume 3, General police duties by Paul Connor; Dave Johnston; Glenn Hutton
ISBN: 99702794902501
Publication Date: 2022

Professional Bodies/Policing Websites and Resources

What Works Network
College What Works collates and shares research evidence on crime reduction and supports its use in practice. It is part of a network of What Works Centres created to provide robust and comprehensive evidence that will guide decision-making on public spending. For more information, see the Gov.uk website.
About College What Works
Links to Vulnerability and violent crime programme; Evidence-based policing guidelines; Crime Reduction Toolkit; Evidence-based policing (EBP) maturity model; Cost benefit tool; Policing evaluation toolkit; Logic Model ; Policing and Crime Reduction Research Map; Police Knowledge Fund; Academic Support Network; College bursary scheme and Research surgeries
Policing Insight
Provides a platform for stakeholders in policing and criminal justice to share knowledge, insight and opinion. The content covers the full width of policing and criminal justice topics including policy, practice, crime and technology via articles, reports and the valuable Media Monitor service, a searchable database of news, analysis, opinion and reports from national, local and specialist press all the key policing and criminal justice organisations as well.
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Search Tip: On the homepage, hover over “Features” and select “The Police Student” for posts and resources that provide a framework for students and highlights Police Insight resources.
The Maryland Scientific Methods Scale (SMS)
The SMS is a five-point scale used in research projects. It ranges from 1, for evaluations based on simple cross-sectional correlations, to 5 for randomised control trials.
HMICFRS
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) independently assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of police forces and fire & rescue services – in the public interest.
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Search Tip: You can refine results by selecting a particular police force and fire and rescue service.
Campbell Collaboration
The Campbell Collaboration is an international social science research network that produces high quality, open and policy-relevant evidence syntheses, plain language summaries and policy briefs.
What is a systematic review? A systematic review is an academic research paper that uses a method called ‘evidence synthesis’, which can include meta-analysis, to look for answers to a pre-defined question. The purpose of a systematic review is to sum up the best available research on that specific question. Reviews can also show when there has not been enough research carried out, and where more research is needed.

A Campbell evidence and gap map (EGM) is an interactive visual presentation of the available rigorous research evidence for a particular policy domain. An EGM consolidates what we know and do not know about ‘what works’. It shows areas with strong, weak or non-existent research on the effect of interventions or initiatives.
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Search Tip: On the homepage, scroll down and click “Research evidence by topic”. Here, you can access systematic reviews by subject areas, like “Crime & Justice”.
Office for National Statistics
The UK’s largest independent producer of official statistics. It collects and publishes statistics related to the economy, population and society at national, regional and local levels.
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Search Tip: On the home page, hover over “People, population and community” at the top. Select “Crime and justice” to view crime levels and trends.
Home Office
The Home Office is the lead government department for immigration and passports, drugs policy, crime, fire, counter-terrorism and police.
Alliance for Useful Evidence/Nesta
The Alliance for Useful Evidence was a network, hosted by Nesta, that championed the smarter use of evidence in social policy and practice.
Society for Evidence Based Policing
The Society of Evidence Based Policing is made up of police officers, police staff, and research professionals who want to improve policing from within by using the best research evidence.
American Society of Evidence Based Policing
Evidence-Based Policing allows for the use of research findings to develop those strategies that are best designed to reduce crime and disorder while maintaining the trust and confidence of the public we serve. We believe it is time that the Policing profession begins to incorporate those research findings into every decision that is made.
Center for Problem-Oriented Policing
The mission of the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing is to advance the concept and practice of problem-oriented policing in open and democratic societies. It does so by making readily accessible information about ways in which police can more effectively address specific crime and disorder problems.
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Search Tip: Click on “Resources” to access a range of useful documents including Campbell Collaborations, Evidence Based Policing Matrix, and the Crime Reduction Toolkit from the College of Policing.
NATIONAL POLICING CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGY
Document which details a shift of power in fighting crime from Whitehall to local communities announced by the UK government in 2015.
Modern crime prevention strategy
Published in 2016 by the UK government, the modern crime prevention strategy aims to build on new research, techniques and technology to bring forth new approaches.
National Intelligence Model
Code of practice document published by the College of Policing. It clarifies the responsibilities of chief officers and police and crime commissioners in relation to the application of the national intelligence model.
Early Intervention Foundation
EIF is an independent charity focused on promoting and enabling an evidence-based approach to early intervention. Their work focuses on the developmental issues that can arise during a child’s life.