STRATEGY FOR RESOURCE ALLOCATION (FROM READING IN POLICY ANALYSIS, 1978 - SEE NCJ-55834)

• NCJ Number: 55835
• Author(s): M D GARVEY; D P POLLEY
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 5 pages
• Corporate Author: American Justice Institute
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A STRATEGY FOR DEALING WITH VARIATIONS IN RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR PROBATION SERVICES IN A POLITICAL CLIMATE IS DESCRIBED, AS USED IN THE SAN DIEGO, CALIF., COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT.

Abstract

WITHIN THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO, EXPENDITURES FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTIVITIES, EXCLUDING MUNICIPAL LAW ENFORCEMENT, EXCEED $70,000,000 PER FISCAL YEAR; 90 PERCENT OF THIS IS FINANCED BY COUNTY PROPERTY OWNERS. WITH PROPERTY TAX REVENUES ACCOUNTING FOR $11,000,000 OF THE TOTAL $450,000,000 COUNTY BUDGET, WHERE BETTER TO ACCOMPLISH BUDGETARY CUTS THAN WITHIN CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACTIVITIES; AND WHERE BETTER TO DIRECT SUCH CUTS THAN TO A DEPARTMENT ADMINISTERED BY AN APPOINTED OFFICIAL. THIS IS THE CASE WITH THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY PROBATION DEPARTMENT. ALTHOUGH POLICY ANALYSIS IS NOT UNIQUE TO THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT, IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPERATIVE THAT THE PROBATION DEPARTMENT HAVE A REALISTIC METHOD OF ALLOCATING RESOURCES. IN ORDER TO DEVELOP POLICY RELEVANT TO RESOURCE ALLOCATION, INFORMATION WAS DEVELOPED BY THE DIRECTORS OF THE FIVE MAJOR SERVICE AREAS--JUVENILE, ADULT, ADULT INSTITUTIONAL, JUVENILE INSTITUTIONAL, AND ADMINISTRATIVE. ALL NONMANDATED PROGRAMS WERE FIRST IDENTIFIED AND DESCRIBED. OTHER PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS WERE ALSO OBTAINED, BRINGING TO A TOTAL OF 63 THE DISTINCT PROGRAMS WITHIN THE MAJOR SERVICE AREAS. UPON COMPLETION OF THE PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS, THE DEPARTMENT'S MISSION STATEMENT WAS REDEFINED AND CLARIFIED, SO THAT THE ELIMINATION OR REDUCTION OF ANY ONE OF THE 63 PROGRAMS COULD BE MEASURED AGAINST THE POTENTIAL IMPACT ON BASIC MISSION. THE MISSION STATEMENT IS INCLUDED. THE 63 PROGRAMS WERE THEN PLACED IN PRIORITY ORDER USING THE JUDGEMENTS OF THE DIRECTORS OF THE FIVE SERVICE AREAS. THE CHIEF PROBATION OFFICER DECIDED ON OVERALL PROGRAM PRIORITIES. UPON CONCURRENCE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT, SERVICE DIRECTORS WERE ASKED TO DESIGN QUANTIFIABLE OBJECTIVES THAT WOULD MEASURE THE DEPARTMENT'S MOVEMENT TOWARD ITS OVERALL GOAL. FOR ITS 1978-79 BUDGET REQUEST, THE DEPARTMENT WAS THUS ABLE TO IDENTIFY AND QUANTIFY 63 SPECIFIC PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, ASSIGN COST FIGURES TO EACH, AND PLACE THEM IN PRIORITY OF IMPORTANCE. THIS STRATEGY PERMITS BUDGET DECISIONS TO BE MADE SO THAT CRITICAL SERVICES WILL NOT BE SERIOUSLY AFFECTED, EVEN WITH RESOURCE REDUCTIONS. (RCB)