NCJ Number
15574
Date Published
1974
Length
114 pages
Annotation
ASSESSMENT OF THE PERFORMANCE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER (CSO) PROGRAMS IN COMPTON, INGLEWOOD, CORONA AND COLTON, CALIFORNIA.
Abstract
PROJECT GOALS INCLUDED INCREASED LAW ENFORCEMENT JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY AND OTHER YOUTH, IMPROVED POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND THE RELIEVING OF REGULAR OFFICERS OF NONHAZARDOUS DUTIES. EACH PROJECT WAS EVALUATED IN TERMS OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IT OPERATED, SUCCESS IN MEETING GOALS, EFFECTIVENESS OF PROJECT ADMINISTRATION AND ADEQUACY OF PRIOR PROJECT EVALUATIONS. THE EVALUATION INCLUDED INTERVIEWS, DOCUMENT REVIEW, COMMUNITY ATTITUDE SURVEYS, QUESTIONNAIRES AND ON-SITE OBSERVATIONS. IN ADDITION, A MANAGEMENT AUDIT WAS PERFORMED TO DETERMINE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN PROJECT ADMINISTRATION. THE COMPTON AND CORONA POLICE DEPARTMENTS WERE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THE WORKLOAD OF REGULAR OFFICERS. NONE OF THE CSO PROJECTS WERE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN INCREASING THEIR DEPARTMENTS' MINORITY REPRESENTATION. INGLEWOOD HAD THE MOST SUCCESS IN USING THE PROJECT AS A RECRUITMENT BASE. TWELVE OF 32 CSO'S JOINED THE DEPARTMENT. GENERALLY FAVORABLE COMMUNITY ATTITUDE SURVEYS WERE INCONCLUSIVE ABOUT PROJECT IMPACT ON POLICE-COMMUNITY RELATIONS.