Liam Ralph, Ian C. Elliott, Joanne Murphy and Russ Glennon
This article explores the changing nature of social media use as a public engagement tool by police services.
Abstract
Purpose
This article explores the changing nature of social media use as a public engagement tool by police services.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive review is conducted of academic studies from criminology and policing journals. Sources are identified from key academic databases and are analysed in relation to three decades (2000–2009, 2010–2019 and 2020 to present) to show how the use of social media has changed over time.
Findings
The way in which social media is used in policing has changed considerably over time. From initial enthusiasm, it is found that there is growing scepticism in the use of social media as a public engagement tool. After an initial proliferation in use, there is then increasing consolidation and control in response to concerns about reputational risk.
Research limitations/implications
The research highlights underlying dynamics of engagement and retrenchment, which offer important insights for how we understand public engagement and value creation in policing and emergency services more generally. We draw on academic research from English-language academic journals, but we have endeavoured to include research from the broadest possible range of countries.
Practical implications
This study demonstrates how the police and other public services must respond to the growing use of social media by the public to maximise value creation whilst minimising the threats that come from potential value destruction.
Originality/value
This study is the first to comprehensively review the policing and criminology literature related to social media and to apply a public engagement lens to this analysis.
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Ian Charles Elliott, Violetta Fejszes and Mariola Tàrrega
In Scotland, the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act represents a significant development towards greater localism in the way public services are designed and delivered in…
Abstract
Purpose
In Scotland, the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act represents a significant development towards greater localism in the way public services are designed and delivered in Scotland. This also represents a different approach to that adopted in the rest of the UK. The purpose of this paper is to explore the stakeholder perceptions of localism within a council ward.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on an in-depth exploratory case study of a single council ward in East Scotland. The fieldwork involved 61 in-depth interviews with multiple stakeholders including local councillors, public service managers and residents.
Findings
The findings highlight that, whilst the discourse of community empowerment represents policy divergence, there remain some significant structural and social barriers to meaningful community empowerment in practice. Finally, it is argued that there are three key factors to consider when developing community empowerment: a shared strategy, shared resources and shared accountability.
Originality/value
The research draws on extensive data from an in-depth case study to explore the realities of community empowerment within a single local authority ward. In doing so, it provides a rich contextual narrative of how the rhetoric of community empowerment is perceived within a council ward setting.
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Jody Osborn, Ian Elliott, David Middleton and Anthony Beech
The present study investigates the use of two actuarial assessment measures ‐ Risk Matrix 2000 (Thornton et al, 2003) and Static 99 (Hanson & Thornton, 2000) ‐ with individuals…
Abstract
The present study investigates the use of two actuarial assessment measures ‐ Risk Matrix 2000 (Thornton et al, 2003) and Static 99 (Hanson & Thornton, 2000) ‐ with individuals convicted of downloading child pornography on the internet. A UK community‐based sample of convicted internet sex offenders (n = 73) was assessed using both a standard and a revised version of RM2000 and Static 99 and assessed for rates of reconviction. None of the offenders in the sample were convicted of a further sexual crime between a one‐and‐a‐half and fouryear follow‐up. These results suggest reconviction rates for internet sex offenders are lower than for contact child sex offenders. It was found that both the standard version of RM2000 and Static‐99 overestimate the risk levels posed by internet offenders and that an adapted version of RM2000 may be a more realistic measure of risk level in this population. In addition, it was noted that a higher frequency of low‐risk offenders appeared to be accessing images of younger children and images depicting more serious victimisation than high‐risk offenders.
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Ian C. Elliott and Lorraine Johnston
The North East has five universities: Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Teesside and Sunderland as well as over 20 colleges. The five universities in the region employ over 14,000…
Abstract
The North East has five universities: Durham, Newcastle, Northumbria, Teesside and Sunderland as well as over 20 colleges. The five universities in the region employ over 14,000 staff and generate another 15,000 jobs through their activities (Universities UK, 2014). In total their activities generate gross value added (GVA) of nearly £1.6 billion, equivalent to 3.8% of the total 2011 North East GVA (Universities UK, 2014). This is higher than in any other region of England meaning that any post-Brexit funding threat to the UK university sector represents a disproportionately greater threat to the North East economy.
This chapter looks specifically at the opportunities and threats for teaching and research of public administration and public services within the North East as a consequence of Brexit. Potential threats include the impact of any reduction in European funding (particularly research funding); reduction in the number of European students and reduction in the number of European staff working at universities in the North East. This chapter concludes by making the case for greater collaboration in teaching and research across UK and European universities. Irrespective of the final result of Brexit, pan-European research and teaching of public administration seems needed now more than ever. Northumbria University has a unique place within the North East region as a centre of expertise in public administration and public leadership.
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The purpose of this paper is to explain the global, historic context of public administration and the specific British context of teaching and research for public administration…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explain the global, historic context of public administration and the specific British context of teaching and research for public administration. Also, it asks the question, “is twenty-first century public administration still ‘fit for purpose?’”.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is a personal reflection on the changes to public administration and management during the twentieth and early part of the twenty-first century, in particular how the UK Learned Society has responded to a number of global, policy and cultural changes.
Findings
The findings demonstrate how the UK Joint University Council (JUC), representing public administration, has responded to changes, in particular to recent forces impacting on HE and training providers. It includes the outcomes of a series of recent UK debates as JUC approaches its 100-year centenary in 2018. It concludes by showing that public administration research, teaching and scholarship are as necessary, if not more so, in 2018. In particular, issues such as accountability, legality, integrity and responsiveness, the overall ethical guidelines are vital for both public and private educational curricula. For either theory building or empirical descriptions, public administration research can still positively contribute to the wider economy
Research limitations/implications
As a personal reflection, the findings are offered to add to a debate on the future of public administration scholarship in the UK, and much wider afield.
Practical implications
The contents should be of benefit to academics, policy and practitioners in the field of public administration and management.
Social implications
This study has wider societal implications, as all states are facing growing social problems and a need to seek novel ways of delivering public services.
Originality/value
Though the paper is a personal reflection, and may therefore be challenged, it is based on wider literature to support the claims being made.
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Commitment to the management of quality is central to success and the improvement of market share, as demonstrated by analysis of quality case histories (relating to seven…
Abstract
Commitment to the management of quality is central to success and the improvement of market share, as demonstrated by analysis of quality case histories (relating to seven companies) presented last year as part of the Department of Trade and Industry's National Quality Campaign. In each case the chief executives of these companies have taken the lead in ensuring that quality is properly planned and co‐ordinated through all phases from market research to after‐sales service. Strenuous efforts to find out customer wants, and fulfil these cost‐effectively have been pursued in a spirit of co‐operation, taking inspiration from the chief executive.
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Nicola Graham‐Kevan, Jane Ireland, Michelle Davies and Douglas Fry
Examines the recent work of three authors, gives examples ofprojects in organizations and quotes facilities managers, all to showthat office design improvements, made with the…
Abstract
Examines the recent work of three authors, gives examples of projects in organizations and quotes facilities managers, all to show that office design improvements, made with the participation of employees, result in measurable increases in output, reduced costs and improved service quality. Notes how this phenomenon is compatible with and can form part of a total quality management system for service organizations.