NCJ Number
134336
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 58 Issue: 12 Dated: (December 1991) Pages: 49-53
Date Published
1991
Length
5 pages
Annotation
The warrant service letter project in the Lawrence, Kansas Police Department (LPD) is evaluated regarding cost reduction and effectiveness of warrant service delivery.
Abstract
The project used a warrant list comprised of over 3,200 municipal warrants which were categorized into minor traffic infractions, other traffic offenses, and criminal offenses. Of these, a random sample of 200 individuals from each of the 3 categories was selected for the mailing process and compared with personal delivery of 108 warrants by 2 officers. The mailed warrant informed the recipients of their outstanding warrant and the way to resolve it. The costs of serving an individual by mail in each of the three warrant categories averaged between $39 and $43, whereas the cost of personal delivery by officers averaged $63 per warrant. Warrant letters provide a comparatively inexpensive method for serving warrants as compared with the previous methods of accidental discovery of warrants during routine police operations or personal delivery of warrants. Although this method will not service all warrants, it will reduce the number of cases requiring the more expensive procedures and may resolve warrants in cases where law enforcement officers have no practical alternative means of warrant service.