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Politics of Policing: Managerialism, Modernization and Performance (From New Politics of Crime and Punishment, P 154-177, 2003, Roger Matthews and Jock Young, eds. -- See NCJ-202480)

NCJ Number
202485
Author(s)
Denise Martin
Date Published
2003
Length
24 pages
Annotation
This chapter examines police service reform in the United Kingdom under the Conservatives and New Labor, paying close attention to various aspects of the performance culture.
Abstract
In the United Kingdom, New Labor came into power in 1997 promising to modernize the public services to offer services meeting user expectations. It emphasized the need for modernization. This chapter examines police service reform under the New Labor Government with specific attention given to the performance culture and how it has played a major role in the direction the police service has taken in recent years. The new proposed framework centers on three main areas of crime: burglary, vehicle crime, and violent crime. The belief in improving an organization is that making an organization meet specific targets set within a budget will not only make it more efficient but will help it focus on the task at hand, making it more effective. The emphasis on continuous improvement and on meeting efficiency and savings targets means that police will have to consider what tasks take priority since they will not be able to fulfill all demands placed on them with the resources provided. References