NCJ Number
231099
Journal
International Journal of Police Science & Management Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: Summer 2010 Pages: 170-182
Date Published
2010
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This paper relates the experience of evaluating police agencies in Queretaro (Mexico) where, as in the rest of the country, police institutions have been historically closed to public scrutiny. It shows the expected and unexpected outcomes, some positive and some negative, of a program to reform police services through evaluation, with a voluntary, transparent and objective approach.
Abstract
Despite the remarkable achievements in the development of Mexico's democracy, there is a lack of substantial progress in an essential matter: justice and police reform. This has been aggravated in recent years, following a very violent outbreak of organised crime, which has shown the incapability of, and the extent of the corruption within, these institutions. Although there have been 15 years of increased investment in the sector, it is easy to infer that lots of resources have been wasted and little progress achieved because of the lack of clear objectives and sound evaluation. The State of Queretaro, Mexico, developed a programme to promote police reform within the municipal police services, based on standards designed to strengthen the institutional capabilities to measure and improve individual and organisation performance. Notes (Published Abstract)