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COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES

NCJ Number
62183
Author(s)
S S PLOTECIA
Date Published
1978
Length
155 pages
Annotation
DEVELOPMENT OF A SYSTEM FOR MEASURING AND COMPARING PERFORMANCE OF FIVE SERVICES--FIRE, POLICE, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION, STREET MAINTENANCE, AND COURTS--IN NORTH CAROLINA MUNICIPALITIES IS DESCRIBED.
Abstract
A CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR MEASURING SERVICE PERFORMANCE WAS DEVELOPED, AND SECONDARY DATA ON EACH SERVICE WERE SOUGHT AT THE STATE LEVEL. BECAUSE A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE NECESSARY DATA WAS NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION WAS GATHERED IN INTERVIEWS WITH LOCAL ADMINISTRATORS. SERVICE-SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE MEASURES WERE CALCULATED FOR 87 COMMUNITIES, AND LOCAL OFFICIALS WERE SURVEYED REGARDING THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE UTILITY OF SUCH MEASURES. WHILE THE MEASURES DEVELOPED BY THE PROJECT WILL SERVE AS USEFUL BENCHMARKS, THE UNAVAILABILITY OF SOME STATISTICS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL PREVENTED THE CALCULATION OF CONCEPTUALLY IDEAL PERFORMANCE MEASURES. THE PROJECT FOUND SIGNIFICANT VARIATION IN PERFORMANCE OF LOCALLY PROVIDED SERVICES, AS WELL AS IN THE COMPLEXITY OF MEASURES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SERVICE AREA. LOCAL OFFICIALS SUPPORTED THE CONCEPT OF COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE MEASURES. THREE AREAS OF NEED WERE IDENTIFIED: (1) MORE DETAILED RECORDKEEPING; (2) MORE UNIFORM ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES WITHIN SERVICE AREAS AND AMONG JURISDICTIONS; AND (3) CLARIFICATION OF SERVICE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES, PARTICULARLY FOR STREET MAINTENANCE AND COURT SERVICES. THE REPORT INCLUDES DETAILS OF THE PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND FINDINGS FOR EACH SERVICE, COPIES OF INTERVIEW INSTRUMENTS, AND SUPPORTING DATA.