NCJ Number
41750
Date Published
1972
Length
136 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT IS THE RESULT OF EIGHT MONTHS (OCTOBER 1971 THROUGH MAY 1972) OF RESEARCH INTO IDENTIFYING AND EVALUATING INNOVATIONS IN SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND POLICE CRIME CONTROL.
Abstract
THESE TWO EXAMPLES OF PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY BY LOCAL GOVERNMENT WERE USED TO DEVELOP AND DEMONSTRATE AN APPROACH FOR SEEKING OUT INNOVATIONS AND NEW TECHNIQUES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNCTIONING AND EVALUATING THEM IN A SYSTEMATIC AND THOROUGH WAY AS TO THEIR COST, POTENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS TOWARDS IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY, AND TRANSFERABILITY TO OTHER GOVERNMENTS. THIS REPORT EXAMINES THREE INNOVATIONS IN SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND THREE IN POLICE CRIME CONTROL IN ENOUGH DETAIL TO SUGGEST THAT IN-DEPTH EVALUATIONS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATIONS COULD YIELD VALUABLE RESULTS. THE POLICE CASE STUDIES INVOLVE THE USE OF NON-SWORN PROFESSIONALS IN THE DALLAS (TX) POLICE DEPARTMENT; MANPOWER RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN THE KANSAS CITY (MO) POLICE DEPARTMENT; AND THE USE OF HELICOPTERS BY THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT AND COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT. THE EMPHASIS IS NOT SO MUCH ON THE CASE STUDIES THEMSELVES AS ON THE PROCEDURES FOR LOCATING AND EVALUATING INNOVATIONS. A THREE-PHASE PROCESS IS RECOMMENDED: IDENTIFICATION OF POSSIBLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATIONS, THOROUGH EVALUATION OF EACH AND ITS POTENTIAL EFFECT ON PRODUCTIVITY, AND PROVISION FOR THE RAPID AND EFFECTIVE DISSEMINATION OF THE FINDINGS TO OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES. THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FORMAL METHOD WITHIN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS FOR OBTAINING CITIZEN FEEDBACK IS ALSO STRONGLY RECOMMENDED. A REFERENCE LIST/BIBLIOGRAPHY IS APPENDED ALONG WITH SAMPLES OF INITIAL CASE SCREENINGS. FOR PARTS I, II, AND III OF THIS STUDY REPORT, SEE NCJ-14198, 10986, AND 11323....ELW