Policing innovation: An investigation of targeted interventions and responses to youth crime
In partnership with police services across Canada, this will be the first Canadian study to focus on the operation and efficiency of youth specialization models and targeted police intervention strategies, particularly with chronic offenders. Police services with dedicated youth officers typically operate under one of three specialization models in markedly diverse communities. By investigating the experiences of patrol and youth officers, the results can position Canadian police services as international leaders in this largely under-researched area by understanding ‘what works’, for whom, and under what circumstances. Specifically, findings based on participant observation, interviews, and statistical analyses can assist with strategic resource allocation decisions, inform evidence-based practice, develop academic-research partnerships, and assist police services in decision-making on how to balance public safety with meaningful consequences advocated by the Youth Criminal Justice Act.