WRESTLING WITH POLICE CRIME CONTROL PRODUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT (FROM READINGS ON PRODUCTIVITY IN POLICING, 1975 BY JOAN L WOLFLE AND JOHN F HEAPHY - SEE NCJ-31282)

• NCJ Number: 31286
• Author(s): H P HATRY
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 43 pages
• Corporate Author: Police Foundation
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT DISCUSSES A NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVES THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED TO IMPROVE POLICE CRIME CONTROL PRODUCTIVITY MEASUREMENT.

Abstract

THE PROBLEM OF DEFINING UNITS OF OUTPUT TO BE MEASURED IS DISCUSSED, AND SOME SPECIFIC PRODUCTIVITY MEASUREMENTS ARE ILLUSTRATED. PROBLEMS OFTEN ENCOUNTERED WITH EXISTING MEASURES - CRIME PREVENTION AND DETERRENCE MEASURES, ARREST RATES, CITIZEN FEEDBACK MEASURES, AND WORKLOAD ORIENTED MEASURES - AND WAYS OF CIRCUMVENTING THOSE PROBLEMS PRE DISCUSSED. INPUT MEASURES AND RELATED DIFFICULTIES OF QUANTIFICATION ARE EXAMINED. IT IS SAID THAT MEASUREMENT OF THE PRODUCTIVITY OF INDIVIDUAL POLICE OFFICERS SHOULD BE USED ONLY AS AN INTERNAL MANAGEMENT TOOL FOR CONSTRUCTIVE IMPROVEMENTS. SUGGESTIONS ARE MADE FOR THE INTERPRETATION OF PRODUCTIVITY DATA. METHODS INCLUDE COMPARISONS OF PAST AND CURRENT PERFORMANCE, COMPARISON OF THE PERFORMANCE OF SIMILAR DEPARTMENTS AND UNITS, AND COMPARISON OF ACTUAL WITH PROJECTED PERFORMANCE.