NCJ Number
79310
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 5 Issue: 2 Dated: (Fall 1980) Pages: 101-118
Date Published
1980
Length
18 pages
Annotation
Reorganization developments in Federal law enforcement are discussed, with emphasis on the challenges of particular reorganization efforts and their applicability to other functional areas.
Abstract
During the pase decade, Federal police, investigative, and security agencies have proliferated, with a corresponding escalation in budget and personnel. This collection of law enforcement enterprises is characterized by fragmented authority and overlapping jurisdiction. The proliferation of units, a response to new or expanded demands, counters the objectives of improved coordination, efficiency, and austerity. The absence of a science of reorganization based on common objectives, frameworks of analysis, or other normative or empirical theories has been shown in law enforcement reorganization in two fundamental ways. One is the incremental, piecemeal approach to reorganization and the opposition to major consolidations from numerous sources. The second is the series of questions about basic reorganization assumptions and implications which challenges the integrity of particular proposals. The multifunctions of agencies preclude easy identification of appropriate units to be consolidated, merged, or transferred. Different criteria, based upon conflicting assumptions, often govern the selection processes, presenting serious objections and limitations. Democratic controls and accountability, as well as rival expertise in policymaking, may be sacrificed in some reorganization proposals. Tangible and intangible costs of reorganization are not easily determined. Overall, reorganization involves a complex nexus of independent and intervening variables operating in a fluid environment. A total of 23 references, 3 footnotes, and 1 note are provided.