NCJ Number
76646
Date Published
1980
Length
49 pages
Annotation
Decision analysis techniques were applied to three potential decisions regarding the level of government funding to be provided to the Community Anti-Crime (CAC) programs funded by LEAA for fiscal years 1980-84.
Abstract
Annual funding levels of $10 million, $20 million, and $40 million were chosen because the highest and the lowest levels had been advocated by the House and Senate Judiciary Committees, respectively. The programs provide funding directly to community nonprofit organizations, instead of to criminal justice agencies. The goal of the present analysis was to measure the cost effectiveness of the three funding levels in comparison with no program at all. Analysis was based on available data, including informed opinion and a few case studies, on the past and future impacts of CAC programs and on national priorities. A multiattribute utility model was constructed; it contained 12 program effectiveness measures which were weighted by importance. Measures included such social effectiveness indicators as crime and fear of crime and indicators of special interest to particular actors in the decision process, such as the goodwill of communities affected. Each funding option was assessed in terms of the impact it would achieve by 1984. Results suggested that by mid-1979, the CAC program had almost justified their costs after 2 years of operation. By 1984, the $40 million funding level would produce the greatest surplus of effectiveness over cost, but its cost effectiveness was poor in the earlier years. The $20 million level showed the highest cumulative net value over the 5-year period. A cost-effectiveness ratio using a fixed budget favored the $10 million funding level. Thus, the final choice depended on both budgetary constraints and the time horizon of evaluation. Charts, tables, five references, graphs, and appendixes defining the program effectiveness measures and presenting a sample questionnaire are provided. (Author abstract modified)