NCJ Number
62891
Date Published
1979
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THE DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF ZERO-BASE BUDGETING (ZBB) FOR THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ARE DESCRIBED AND ANALYZED.
Abstract
THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS ADOPTED ZBB AS A PROGRAM-BUDGETING TECHNIQUE AND MANAGEMENT TOOL IN THE FALL OF 1973. THE DEPARTMENT HAS USED ZBB TO JUSTIFY FUNDING INCREASES ESSENTIAL TO PROVIDING A HUMANE ENVIRONMENT AND PROGRAM SERVICES FOR ITS SPIRALING RESIDENTIAL POPULATION. A PILOT-PROJECT PROGRAM APPROACH WAS USED IN EXPLORING THE EFFECTS OF IMPLEMENTING ZBB THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT. THE RESULTS OF THE PILOT PROJECT WERE POSITIVE, SO ZBB WAS IMPLEMENTED THROUGHOUT THE DEPARTMENT. THE DECISION UNITS SELECTED WERE (1) ADMINISTRATION, (2) CUSTODIAL, (3) MEDICAL AND HOSPITAL, (4) EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL, (5) MAINTENANCE, AND (6) COUNSELING. THE USE OF ONLY SIX DECISIONS UNITS IN SOME CASES REQUIRED TWO MANAGERS TO PLAN AND BUDGET FOR A SINGLE DECISION UNIT. SPECIAL GUIDELINES WERE PROVIDED TO HELP UNIT MANAGERS PREPARE DATA FOR THE BUDGET. AS A PRELIMINARY STEP, THE DEPARTMENT HAD THE MANAGERS COMPILE CERTAIN INFORMATION ON A SIMPLE FORM FIRST, BEFORE ADVANCING TO THE DECISION-PACKAGE FORMS. MANAGERS WERE ALSO GIVEN THE ZBB BUDGETING MANUAL, WHICH INCLUDED AN EXPLANATION OF THE PURPOSE OF ZBB, AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS, DEFINITIONS OF TERMS, SAMPLE QUANTITATIVE MEASURES, AND SAMPLE COMPLETED DECISION PACKAGES. THE INSTRUCTIONS AND TRAINING CONCERNING PRIORITY RANKING WERE NOT INTRODUCED UNTIL THE WEEK BEFORE THE BUDGET SUBMISSION WAS DUE, SO AS TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUT OF DETAIL THAT HAD TO BE ABSORBED. ZBB HAS CHANGED THE MANAGEMENT STYLE OF THE DEPARTMENT BY INVOLVING DECISION-UNIT MANAGERS IN THE PLANNING, BUDGETING, AND ACCOUNTABILITY PROCESS. DATA FROM THE DECISION PACKAGES, AS WELL AS BEING USED FOR BUDGET PREPARATION AND JUSTIFICATION, ARE USED IN PREPARING THE ANNUAL ILLINOIS HUMAN SERVICES PLAN. A FEW AUTOMATED SYSTEMS HAVE ALSO BEEN DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT THE ZBB PROCESS. (RCB)