NCJ Number
87574
Date Published
1978
Length
18 pages
Annotation
The Denver Anti-Crime Council (DACC), which performs crime analysis, planning, interagency and technical assistance, grants administration, and special research, is close to being locally institutionalized while the demands for its analytical functions increase.
Abstract
DACC is an independent city commission that reports directly to Denver's mayor and also to Denver County. DACC is the principal city liaison agency dealing with State and Federal authorities in matters of financial assistance for criminal justice services. In the area of crime analysis, the DACC updated the arrest and offense report files in the Denver Police Department from 1973 through 1977. A geographical analysis of crime compared police precincts and locations of significant crime occurrences within precincts, and a special analysis of crime frequencies within the city parks system was also completed so as to assist in the development of a target hardening project. DACC also determined the extent to which handguns are used in crimes. The planning function of DACC is supported by current historical data and is an ongoing process supported by monitoring and agency performance feedback. Progress has been made in achieving the following planning objectives: (1) to provide city and county agencies with the leadership for developing planning within and among criminal justice system components, (2) to determine the level of planning activity existing in each component agency and develop standards for minimum planning resources and capacities, and (3) to define and delineate the task required to refine the crime specific planning process for the total criminal justice system. Coordination functions are performed at the policy level by the DACC, as the agency heads of every local criminal justice agency sit as members. The DACC staff is also responsible for monitoring and assessing the achievements of the subgrants funded within the city. In 1977, DACC special research projects focused on county court sentencing patterns, district court scheduling and use, mandatory sentencing, and the jail population. Accomplishments under predominantly Federal and State funding have caused local officials to continually increase local budget support for the DACC.