Financial Implications of Merging Proactive CCTV Monitoring and Directed Police Patrol: a Cost-benefit Analysis

• NCJ Number: 251298
• Journal: Journal of Experimental Criminology Volume: 12 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2016 Pages: 403-429
• Author(s): E. L. Piza; A. M. Gilchrist; J. M. Caplan; L. W. Kennedy; B. A. O'Hara
• Date Published: September 2016
• Length: 27 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2010-IJCX-0026
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Description

Annotation

This study was a cost-benefit analysis of an intervention that pairs proactive CCTV monitoring with directed police patrol in Newark, NJ.

Abstract

A recent randomized control trial found that the strategy generated significant crime reductions in treatment areas relative to control areas. The current study focused on the financial implications of the experimental strategy through a cost-benefit analysis. The study began by measuring the costs and benefits associated with the experimental strategy, the findings of which can inform agencies with existing CCTV infrastructure. Follow-up analyses measured the costs and benefits of the intervention for agencies absent existing CCTV infrastructure, meaning a CCTV system would have to be funded in addition to the intervention outputs. Alongside overall benefits, this study presents the tangible cost savings afforded the criminal justice system as well as each of the separate criminal justice (CJ) system components (police, courts, corrections). The analysis found that the experimental strategy was highly cost-effective for agencies with existing CCTV infrastructure; however, when the cost of the CCTV system is considered, the strategy is largely cost prohibitive. Although the cumulative societal and criminal justice findings show evidence of a modest cost savings, the strategy is highly cost prohibitive for each of the individual CJ system components when CCTV system costs are included. Results suggest that the experimental strategy is a worthwhile investment for agencies with existing CCTV infrastructure. Agencies with no CCTV system may want to consider whether funds would be better allocated to alternate strategies. (Publisher abstract modified)