NCJ Number
56176
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1979) Pages: 116-120
Date Published
1979
Length
5 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM A STUDY DESIGNED TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF POLICE FUNCTIONAL FRAGMENTATION, POPULATION CHANGES, AND TYPE OF POLITICAL STRUCTURE ON EXPENDITURES FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT.
Abstract
THIS RESEARCH ATTEMPTS TO ANSWER CERTAIN PREVIOUSLY UNRESOLVED QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO THE CORRELATES OF POLICE POLICY OUTPUT. THE FOLLOWING ISSUES EMERGED AFTER A REVIEW OF THE RESEARCH LITERATURE: (1) WHETHER OR NOT FRAGMENTATION OF THE POLICE FUNCTION (MORE THAN ONE AGENCY IN A GIVEN GOVERNMENTAL BUDGET) RESULTS IN DISECONOMIES WHEN POLICE EXPENDITURES ARE MEASURED ALTERNATIVELY AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL GOVERNMENTAL EXPENDITURES, (2) THE EXTENT TO WHICH ECONOMIES OR DISECONOMIES OF SCALE IN POLICE EXPENDITURES ARE OPERANT WITH CHANGES IN POPULATION, AND (3) THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF POLITICAL STRUCTURE VARIABLES ON POLICY OUTPUT. THE FIRST SAMPLE STUDIED INCLUDES 111 FLORIDA CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 10,000 AND OVER, AND THE SECOND DATA SET COVERS 243 CENTRAL CITIES WITH POPULATIONS OF 50,000 AND ABOVE. FOR BOTH DATA SETS, DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES ARE FROM THE 'CENSUS OF POPULATION, 1970,' CRIME RATE FROM THE 'UNIFORM CRIME REPORT, 1970,' AND EXPENDITURE DATA ARE RESPECTIVELY FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE. A COMBINATION OF PRODUCT MOMENT CORRELATION AND STEPWISE MULTIPLE REGRESSION WAS EMPLOYED ON THE TWO SETS OF DATA. FINDINGS REVEAL THE FOLLOWING: (1) FRAGMENTATION OF THE POLICE FUNCTION INCREASES COMPETITION FOR RESOURCES AMONG POLICE AGENCIES WHEN EXPENDITURES ARE DEFINED AS A PROPORTION OF THE TOTAL BUDGET; (2) BY DIVIDING A NATIONWIDE SAMPLE INTO POPULATION CATEGORIES, AN UPSIDE-DOWN 'U' SHAPED ECONOMIES OF SCALE CURVE FOR POPULATION IS SURFACED; AND (3) THE COUNCIL-MANAGER FORM OF GOVERNMENT IS AN IMPORTANT DETERMINANT OF PER CAPITA POLICE EXPENDITURES IN ONE GROUP OF CITIES. DEPENDING ON THE POPULATION SIZE, THIS LAST FINDING SUPPORTS THE CONTENTION THAT COUNCIL-MANAGER GOVERNMENTS ARE MORE PROFESSIONALIZED, SINCE THEY RESPOND TO CRIME RATE INSTEAD OF SOCIOECONOMIC CLEAVAGES IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. TABULAR DATA ARE REPORTED. (RCB)