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PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM PRELIMINARY DRAFT

NCJ Number
35288
Author(s)
J BELKIN; A BLUMSTEIN; G CASSIDY; J COHEN
Date Published
1975
Length
43 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER SUGGESTS THAT THE TOTAL MEASURE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE EFFECTIVENESS MIGHT BE SPECIFIED AS THAT OF MINIMIZING THE SUM OF THE SOCIAL COST OF CRIME PLUS THE SOCIAL COST OF CRIME CONTROL MINUS THE SERVICE BENEFITS.
Abstract
IN THIS PERFORMANCE MEASURE THE SOCIAL COST OF CRIME IS DETERMINED BY THE AGGREGATE VICTIMIZATION RISK AND THE AGGREGATE LEVEL OF CRIMINALITY. THE SOCIAL COST OF CRIME CONTROL DEPENDS ON DIRECTING OPERATING COSTS, THE DEGREE OF INTERVENTION, EQUITY OF TREATMENT, AND CORRECTNESS. THE INFLUENCE OF PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ON THE PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEM IS ALSO CONSIDERED. IN ADDITION, MEASUREMENT OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM'S PERFORMANCE IN THE TWO ROLES OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES (AS OPPOSED TO CRIME CONTROL) ARE DISCUSSED. SPECIFIC RESEARCH PROJECTS ARE PROPOSED TO DEVELOP, TEST, AND VALIDATE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM INDICATORS OF PERFORMANCE. COVERED ARE THE ASSESSMENT OF TREND IN CRIMINALITY, COST AND RESOURCE PLANNING ASSESSMENT THROUGH THE JUSSIM MODEL, MEASUREMENT OF INTERVENTION RATES, MEASUREMENT OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION EFFECTIVENESS, MEASUREMENT OF SERVICE EFFECTIVENESS, AND DETERMINATION OF PUBLIC PERCEPTIONS OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM.