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Development of Criminal Justice Performance and Activity Measures

NCJ Number
96223
Date Published
1982
Length
215 pages
Annotation
This document reports on the progress of British Columbia's Ministry of Attorney General in implementing improved procedures for criminal justice system management planning control.
Abstract
It focuses on the procedures and the framework being used to implement a particular system of activity and performance measurement. The approach adopted emphasizes (1) the identification of indicators measured by existing data bases, (2) the development of consensus among senior managers within the operational divisions and Ministry headquarters regarding the utility of performance measurement in general and the measurement in general and the appropriateness of identified measures in particular, (3) the need to integrate the activity and performance measurement process within a more general framework of strategic planning for management control, and (4) the importance of linking activity and performance measures to historic and current expenditure levels. This project has been successful primarily because of the relatively simple and pragmatic approach adopted. On the basis of work completed thus far, suggestions are offered: the overall process must be kept simple; the performance and activity measures must be tied to the operational budget process; completely integrated systemwide offender tracking systems are not a necessary first step for better management statistics, and some simple operations research techniques, such as ratio-analysis, should not be ignored; and sophisticated models are not required for analysis to have an impact. Figures, charts, and 31 references are provided.