NCJ Number
84426
Date Published
1979
Length
130 pages
Annotation
This study examines two crime-related and two noncrime-related services of the Cincinnati Police Division (Ohio) and develops new ways to measure police output. The research imputes values for these services and determines the costs associated with producing these services. It provides police and city administrators with a decision tool to evaluate the manner in which police services are delivered.
Abstract
The study reviews the literature on police output and productivity. It selected four services for analysis: ambulance service, burglary prevention, warrant service, and the apprehension of property criminals. Dollar values for each service were imputed by various means, and values and costs were computed for the four services for two time periods. This was done so that it would be possible to identify any differences in value-to-cost ratios due to the initiation of a different mode of delivering police services. The two modes of policing had centralized or decentralized service delivery systems. Two of the four showed an increase in value-to-cost ratio with a change to the decentralized mode. Thus, values and costs for police services will change with a change in mode of policing. Data tables and 26 references are supplied.