Implementation Science for Police Reform: Introducing the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research In Policing (CFIRiP)

Background and Purpose: The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) is a prominent, evidence-based framework for identifying determinants of intervention implementation. Though widely adopted to better understand and successfully implement interventions in medicine and, more recently, social work, uptake of implementation science (IS) in relation to criminal-legal system interventions has been limited. This paper adapts CFIR to one such intervention-- the Policing the Teen Brain (PTB) training program, designed to improve officers’ understanding of adolescent behavior through a trauma-informed lens and developmental science. Given the significant and intractable nature of problems in policing, the CFIR-Police Innovation (CFIRiP) adaptation acts as a tool for better ensuring reform success.

Methods: This conveys findings from conceptually mapping CFIR’s 5 core dimensions and 67 determinants to police interventions, including (1) inductive coding of semi-structured interviews with police about PTB implementation, (2) a pCAT adaptation completed by criminal-legal system actors and stakeholders, and (3) a narrative literature review of qualitative and quantitative studies of policing and the implementation of police interventions (n = 29 studies). From these data sources, a comprehensive list of determinants for policing interventions was distilled. Determinants were then translated into codes for qualitative interviews and refined after application to interviews with police officers (n = 20) involved in PTB implementation.

Results: Several changes to the CFIR codebook were made to sufficiently address determinants of policing innovations. The adapted framework has six broad domains: Innovation, Outer Setting, Inner Setting, Implementation Process, Personal, and the Outcomes Addendum; with 36 dimensions. Compared to the original CFIR framework, essential differences included the addition of the “Personal” domain to investigate the beliefs and characteristics of individuals within law enforcement agencies and the expansion of the “Inner Setting” domain to capture characteristics of the structure and cultures of law enforcement agencies. Final code application indicated determinants within the “Personal” domain were most frequently identified.

Conclusions and Implications: Implementation failure is one potential reason police reform efforts fall short. Implementation science offers one tool for moving from failure to success. This paper brings together a narrative review of empirical literature on policing and police interventions and qualitative implementation interviews with police to adapt a leading IS framework to police innovations. CFIRiP and its related codebook include an additional determinant domain and dimensions, especially attending to police culture, which is often a barrier to police reform efforts and specifically youth-centered policing. CFIRiP provides interventionists and researchers with a much needed framework for identifying and, therefore, developing strategies to overcome barriers to police reform.