Implementing Police Programs - Some Environmental Impediments (From Implementing Criminal Justice Policies, P 71-88, 1982, Merry Morash, ed. See NCJ-88296)

• NCJ Number: 88301
• Author(s): J R Green
• Date Published: 1982
• Length: 18 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Public Affairs Cmtte, Inc
• Sale Source: Sage Publications, Inc
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Revised version of a paper presented at the 1981 conference of the American Society of Criminology, Washington, D C

Annotation

Analysis of the implementation of saturation patrol, undercover surveillance and regionalized detective bureaus indicated the internal and external processes affecting policy implementation in police agencies.

Abstract

Study information came from 379 police personnel in police agencies at six locations. The survey focused on three groups of variables: perceptions of goal concensus, dependence, and threat posed by the introduction of special police units into existing organizational and environmental relationships; the management of the environment as indicated by perceptions of cooperation, cooptation, and coordination between personnel of special and reular units; and the nature of the agency in terms of such factors as authority, and subsystems of leadership. The three measures of implementation focused on the integration of the special unit with other organizational subunits, the impact of the special unit on the agency's way of handling crime, and the extent of use of the special project. Moderate to strong correlations existed between certain of the environmental variables and the implementation outcomes. For example, higher respondent perceptions of dependence on the activities of the special unit were associated with more positive evaluations of impact, integration, and use. Results were consistent with previous analyses of complex organizations and the forces that affect organizations. They were also consistent with previous research on policing showing the importance of goal consensus and of negotiation and exchange in police organizations. Tables, a note, and a list of 51 references are listed.