research drives practice and practice drives research is necessary

This activity will be a debate/discussion related to the relationship between research and practice. Your work in this discussion is based on all the reading assigned in this course and your own experience and opinions.
You will be assigned to a side of the argument: Research drives practice side and Practice drives research side. Based on the course reading, those of you taking the Research drives practice side will argue that scientific research and emerging theories are the starting place for effective criminal justice practices. Those of you taking the Practice drives research side will argue that contemporary issues in criminal justice practice define what research is needed.
After your initial post, you will respond to at least two of your classmates from the opposing side, offering a counterpoint.
To complete this assignment, review the Discussion Rubric document.
1st Student Post: I think that at times both research drives practice and practice drives research is necessary depending on what the situation is. However, I do think that research drives practice more often than the former. Research drives practice because you must do research in order to know what to do in certain situations. Take, for example, the scientific method- even the steps to the scientific method say that you must conduct background research before the experiment and coming to a hypothesis. I think that practice will further the research being conducted but that research is needed before you can actually put the practice to test. Most of the policies that are initially set come from research on what officials think would be best. If a policy is a first of its kind there is no way to know how things will run unless research is done beforehand. Sure, practice does further it eventually but initially it is research that will determine what procedures are put in place.
2nd Student post: I see both sides of this argument. With out practice we may not realize the issues that need more research. If we do not research we may not no what we need to practice to help solve the issues. I am on the side of practice drives research. When we are out there practicing the skills we have learned we will hopefully be able to see the issues facing us. This in turn should inspire us to do the research needed to solve the issue at hand. We can research all we want on issues that face us but I feel we never truly understand something until your out there facing it, dealing with it head on. It can be something as simple as a more efficient or less time consuming way to process evidence or even a more effective way to keep the peace in the community. I am not against research I just feel that there may not be a better way to truly identify issues with out seeing them 1st hand. I have always been a private person. I have learned to deal with things on my own. I am sure there are many people like that. I don’t report things, take surveys and things like that. How many others are the same way? How much of the research statistics and numbers are way wrong because of people like me? It may not be the best way to go about life but it is how I am. I have found a few close people to open up to and that’s it. I understand that bigger issues and things officers and others may need to know to help can not doing anything if they are not told. I realize it is an issue I have and I have been trying to work on it as of late.