NCJ Number
68972
Date Published
1971
Length
365 pages
Annotation
A SYSTEMS ANALYTIC ECONOMETRIC MODEL OF VIRGINIA'S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WAS CONSTRUCTED AND USED TO DETERMINE SYSTEM COMPONENTS' RELATIVE COSTS AND EEFFICIENCIES DURING 1968 AND 1969.
Abstract
THE STUDY FOCUSED ON POLICE AND SHERIFF'S ORGANIZATIONS AND ON COUNTY AND CITY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS. MODELS FOR EACH SYSTEM COMPONENT WERE CONSTRUCTED AND TESTED USING DATA FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS AND SURVEYS OF LOCAL AGENCIES IN 10 COUNTIES AND 10 CITIES. RESULTS SHOWED DEFINITE DIFFERENCES IN PERFORMANCE AND IN EFFICIENCY FOR POLICE AND SHERIFF AGENCIES FOR CERTAIN CRIME TYPES. SHERIFF AGENCIES PERFORMED BETTER AND MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN POLICE FOR THESE TYPES. AGENCIES' RELATIVE PERFORMANCES WERE INFLUENCED IN A NONLINEAR FASHION BY CERTAIN FACTORS (POPULATION, LAND AREA, POPULATION DENSITY, AVERAGE FAMILY BUYING INCOME, AND OTHERS) BEYOND THE AGENCIES' CONTROL. DIFFERENCES IN RELATIVE PERFORMANCE COULD NOT BE EXPLAINED ON THE BASIS OF RETURNS TO SIZE OR DIFFERENCES INHERENT IN THE SHERIFF FORM OF LAW ENFORCEMENT WAS NEEDED. RESULTS ALSO INDICATED THAT COUNTY CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS WERE MORE EFFICIENT THAN CITY SYSTEMS. DIFFERENCES COULD BE EXPLAINED IN PART BY FACTORS OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM'S CONTROL. BOTH TYPES OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEMS WERE OPERATING IN A RANGE OF INCREASING INCREMENTAL COSTS. FUTURE INCREMENTAL AND TOTAL SYSTEM COSTS WERE PROJECTED. IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE MODELS WERE LOGICALLY SOUND, EMPIRICALLY RELEVANT, AND USEFUL FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PLANNING. CORRECTIONS SHOULD BE ADDED TO THE MODEL AS DATA BECOME AVAILABLE. THIS TYPE OF ANALYSIS IS EXPENSIVE, BUT MORE EFFICIENT DATA REPORTING PROCEDURES AND NETWORKS MAY REDUCE COSTS. A LITERATURE REVIEW, TABLES, FOOTNOTES, A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF 30 REFERENCES, AND EXTENSIVE APPENDIXES LISTING VIRGINIA COURTS AND CITIES, REFERENCE DATA, AND ADDITIONAL STUDY RESULTS, ARE INCLUDED.