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43 Prison J. 5 (1963)

handle is hein.journals/prsjrnl43 and id is 1 raw text is: 





      THE DIVIDE-ACTION AND RESEARCH
                        LESLIE  T. WILKINS
                          Research  Unit
                      Home   Office, England


ll t     THE   METHODS  of scientific inquiry are basically the same in
o1 the sciences, although there are many  differences of a superficial
brder. It may be valuable therefore, to examine the nature of the division
between social action and social research by relating it to the division
setween pure and applied research in other fields of study. In the physical
  ences a unity linked pure and applied research in past times, although
tdivision  began somewhat   earlier than the separation between social
action and social research. Neither the distinction between 'pure' and
applied research in the physical sciences, nor the separation of social
research from social action, can now be retained in a meaningful way for
similar reasons.

karly Social  Research   and  Action
o   Perhaps the earliest attempts at evaluation of social action were the
forerunners of modern statistical procedures. One fact is both certain
oid important, the early social accountants were not divided from the
social reformers nor from social action and policy. Their philosophy
'a1is to have been something like-'if only the people knew what was
tap1ening they would do  something about it, or allow us to do some-
lfl8 about it.' Their recording and description of social events had the
Purpose of stimulating action and of alerting the public to take action to
treiedy What they saw as social evils. It is usual to credit Adolphe Que-
et  (1796-1874)  with the beginnings of social statistics and attempts to
Pvaluate social policy by some form of social accounting, but it is not our
UIurpose to discuss the history of social investigations. None the less, it
oaiteresting to consider one very early claim  to priority in relating
0  a to social action. That much maligned character in British history,
liver Cromwell,  may have  at least this one thing to his credit. During
Trdor times England suffered very considerably from plague, and various
recautionary measures-perhaps an early form of social medicine-
ti Ie to be deemed necessary. The main action was in terms of quaran-
Pote and isolation, and certainly these seem to have been the most im-
rtant  in obtaining any  measure  of control. But to carry out these
e casures successfully it was necessary to have early warnings of the
ordstence of plague in specific areas, and even in particular houses. In

apder to obtain this information SEARCHERS, usually women, were
thpointed under the Parish Clerk to whom they were required to report
the causes of each death occurring within the Parish. The Clerk in his
tRsent  these reports to the Parish Clerks' Hall. These returns were
     k as the BILLS OF  MORTALITY. They were summaries of the
                                 5

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