Guiding police decisions or falling short? A critical theoretical review of the national decision model

Boulton, L (2025) Guiding police decisions or falling short? A critical theoretical review of the national decision model. The Police Journal: Theory, Practice and Principles. ISSN 0032-258X

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Abstract

Police decision-making is complex, marked by risk, high stakes, uncertainty, and time pressure. The National Decision Model (NDM), developed by the College of Policing, aims to standardise and improve decision-making within UK police forces. While its ethical framework has received some academic attention, the NDM’s effectiveness in supporting decision-making across varied policing roles is largely unexamined. This article critically reviews the NDM’s foundations, evolution, and practical application, highlighting key limitations and the need for further research to determine its real-world efficacy. Without robust empirical validation, the NDM risks falling short in guiding officers through the demanding realities of modern policing.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	1602 Criminology; 4402 Criminology
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare. Criminology > HV7231 Criminal Justice Administrations
Divisions:	Justice Studies (from Sep 19)
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Date of acceptance:	17 April 2025
Date of first compliant Open Access:	23 June 2025
Date Deposited:	23 Jun 2025 15:12
Last Modified:	23 Jun 2025 15:30
DOI or ID number:	10.1177/0032258x251352756
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/26637

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