FOR THE RESEARCHERS

For Researchers: Post a Study

INTERESTED IN COMPLETING A STUDY?

SUBMIT A STUDY

Posting to the PRP requires an administrative fee of $200.00 U.S. for each study posted. Your study becomes active once the fee is paid.

Click here to pay the fee.

WHO

Who is an eligible researcher? The PRP for Criminal Justice Science invites researchers from all behavioral science disciplines to participate in the PRP. In order to be eligible to access The PRP researchers must:

• Be a member of a professional organization that is nationally recognized (e.g., American Psychology and Law (Division 41 of APA), Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, etc.)
• Belong to a supporting institution with the ability to offer ethical review and oversight for the proposed study (e.g., College, University, Police Organization, Research Institute, etc.)

All research projects and researcher credentials will be vetted prior to approval. If you have questions please contact us at researchpool@iletsbei.com

WHAT

What projects are appropriate? In keeping with the concepts of scholars collaborating with practitioners, The PRP will accept projects that focus on a number of areas of research requiring professionals working in the criminal justice system.
Such projects may include, but are not limited to:

• Law enforcement
• Corrections
• Criminal Justice system processes
• Behavioral sciences (psychology, sociology, criminal justice, law enforcement administration, etc.).

What information is required for participants when posting a study to The PRP? Once a study has been approved for posting, researchers should, at a minimum, include the following information about the study:

• Study Name (may differ from the IRB proposal) & Brief Description
• More Detailed Description
  • What will participants do in the study?
  • How long is it expected to take?
  • Any expected adverse consequences?
• Researcher(s) Name(s) and Contact Information
• IRB Approval Code / IRB Approval Expiration Date (Provided by The PRP Administrators – at that point the study will be active and visible to participants)

Faculty sponsors of student research should be sure that their name and contact information appears along with the student’s as part of the study description. Recruitment is limited to the necessary sample size indicated on the approved IRB protocol and requested in the researcher’s application materials. Incentives for participation (e.g., monetary compensation, gift cards, etc.) should only be included as part of a study description after they have been reviewed and approved as part of the IRB proposal. Once this information is posted, the researcher should send an email to researchpool@iletsbei.com to request study approval. As soon as the research administrator has verified the application materials the study will be made available.

WHEN

When should I submit my request to conduct research and when will I hear if I am approved? Research projects can be submitted on an ongoing basis. There is no set deadline for when a project should be submitted; however, it does take approximately 5 to 10 working days to review and approve a study for posting.
You can submit your study proposal through the online submission process https://www.prpforcjscience.org/?page_id=1347. The PRP team will review all of the submitted documents including the abstract of the study for posting, IRB approval letter with IRB administration contact information from the researcher’s institution/organization, the primary researcher’s Resume/CV including the institutional affiliation, and contact information. You will receive email affirmation of successful submission of the required documents. Once IRB approval of the researcher’s home institution has been verified a researcher will be directed to a payment link for access to The Pool. Pending any unforeseeable concerns/issues with the application, a response within five (5) to ten (10) business days of submission can be expected. Upon approval, researchers will receive confirmation, payment submission information, and a unique login and password for posting the study to The PRP system. A final review of the posted information will be made and the study will be activated by The PRP Administrator. If a project is not approved, an email with details on the decision and any recommendations for revisions will be sent. The most likely reason for denying access is an inability to confirm IRB approval from a researcher’s home institution or organization. No studies will be allowed to recruit from The PRP without ethical oversight from their home institution.

WHERE

Where can I find more information about the PRP? Review the web pages for more information about the PRP. You can also visit the researcher documentation here. You can also email us at researchpool@iletsbei.com

WHY

Why should I use the PRP? The PRP is a unique opportunity to bring together researchers and practitioners in one place. Funded through a grant from the American Psychology-Law Society, the PRP is specifically designed to create a research pool populated with criminal justice professionals. Researchers can more readily access the population of interest – law enforcement officers, corrections officers, etc. with one streamlined approval process. Moreover, all PRP participants complete the pre-screening process, which is useful for researchers in targeting specific professionals registered with the pool and willing to participate in research dedicated to the criminal justice system. No other pool exists like this in the United States and there are plans to grow The PRP to include researchers and participants on a national level to expand the scientific study of the criminal justice field.

HOW

How does it work? The PRP uses the SONA Systems cloud-based subject pool software, which is generally used in universities all over the world in academic settings such as psychology departments. The PRP chose SONA System for its expertise in the field of research pools, technology, and security. After approval, research project sign-up is conducted completely online and provides researchers with information regarding potential participants also registered with the pool. More information about SONA can be found at: https://www.sona-systems.com. Once a study is approved, a researcher will also have access to more detailed information about the system operations.

The PRP is maintained through WIU and ILETSBEI, charges to researchers are intended to support the maintenance, software, and personnel required at cost. Researchers are charged in accordance with a single administrative fee per study of $200.00 US per year when aiding in the recruitment of CJ professionals into the pool.

How do I submit a study for approval? Application requests are submitted electronically. Submit a one (1) page abstract, an IRB Approval Letter with institutional contact information, the resume/curriculum vita of the researcher(s), and acknowledgment of reading and review of this manual (i.e., Researcher Procedural Manual). The abstract should be written for a general, but educated audience (i.e., avoids, or clearly defines, field-specific jargon) and include:

• A clear hypothesis and theoretical basis for the research.
• The methodology employed for hypothesis testing.
• Clear indication of the number of subjects requested and an estimate of time investment for each participant.
• If applicable, indicate whether the research has connections to the Six Pillars of 21st Century Policing (see PRP home page for more information).