NCJ Number
99259
Date Published
1985
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This paper examines public pressures for change in crime control patterns, models for future public policing, control patterns, models for future public policing, and the role of research in police planning for the future.
Abstract
Public confidence in the ability of public police to control crime is diminishing, as indicated by the public's unwillingness to invest additional resources in public policing, the increasing use of private police for specialized security services, and expanded citizens' efforts to protect themselves from crime. Possible models for future public policing are (1) the performance of traditional services constrained by limited resources, (2) the privatization of the bulk of public policing services, (3) the regionalization of police services across a number of governmental jurisdictions, and (4) the use of a public safety department to coordinate private protection efforts. The National Institute of Justice is committed to research that addresses critical issues facing police over the next 15 years. These issues include new management strategies in an era of cutbacks, use of private and community resources to supplement leaner police operations, conservation of police resources, and better definition of the police role and citizen expectations. Such research should capitalize on the technological advances in data collection, data analysis, and information transmission. Specifically, research should influence the kinds of information sought by police, show how to synthesize it into forms useful for decisionmaking, and demonstrate the value of information in shaping police responses and the attainment of public objectives.