The U.S. Department of Justice has dedicated $20 million to fund the purchase of and technical assistance for BWCs. In 2013, the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey estimated that about a third of local law enforcement agencies had already adopted BWCs, and this percentage has likely greatly increased since then. At the same time, this rapid adoption of BWCs is occurring within a low information environment; researchers are only beginning to develop knowledge about the effects, both intentional and unintentional, of this technology.…what research questions and types of research should be pursued and why? How can we build a translatable knowledge base that is responsive and rigorous? An important first step in answering these questions is to identify not only existing knowledge but also current projects underway to see research gaps and opportunities. Equally important in building the evidence-base for BWCs is ensuring that research is responsive to the needs and concerns of police and citizens and that it also anticipates future uses and concerns of BWCs. Many types of research might be needed, including process and outcome evaluations, national surveys on prevalence and use, studies about the possible consequences of that implementation for both.

Fairfax, VA: George Mason University, Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy, 2015. 30p.