NCJ Number
67936
Date Published
1978
Length
51 pages
Annotation
THE JUVENILE PROBATION DIVISION OF THE HENNEPIN COUNTY COURT SERVICES (GEORGIA) STUDIED THE COST OF VOLUNTEER GENERATED PREDISPOSITION INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS, FINDING THEM COST EFFECTIVE AND TIMELY.
Abstract
APPROXIMATELY 31 VOLUNTEERS IN THE COURT SERVICES DIVISION, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF LINE PROBATION OFFICERS, COMPLETE PREHEARING INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS. ALTHOUGH THIS JUVENILE COURT INVESTIGATOR PROGRAM IS NOT A 'FREE' SERVICE (DUE TO RECRUITMENT, TRAINING, AND SUPERVISORY EXPENSES), SAVINGS WERE FOUND. THE RESEARCH TEAM INCLUDED BOTH OPPONENTS AND PROPONENTS OF THE PROGRAM AND EMPLOYED AN ADVERSARY PRINCIPLE AS A GUIDEPOST FOR DISCUSSIONS, TO ENSURE OBJECTIVITY. THE PRIMARY METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION FOR DOCUMENTING THE COST OF MISCELLANEOUS SUPPORT ACTIVITIES INVOLVED THE INSPECTION OF EXISTING ADMINISTRATIVE REPORTS IN THE VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. DATA COLLECTION CONCERNING PAID STAFF TIME INVOLVED EITHER AN INTERVIEW OR A SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRE. A ROLE COST MODEL WAS DEVELOPED TO ASSESS THE UNIT COST PER REPORT OF THE VOLUNTEER PERFORMING A SERVICE ORDINARILY PERFORMED BY PAID STAFF. BY COMPLETING WORK OTHERWISE GIVEN TO PAID STAFF, AND PERFORMING EMERGENCY OR TEMPORARY WORK ON A NEED- OR TIME-LIMITED BASIS, A VOLUNTEER SAVES SUPERVISORY TIME SPENT REASSIGNING OR TRACKING DOWN OTHER STAFF RESOURCES. MOREOVER, THE QUALITY OF VOLUNTEER STAFF PREHEARING REPORTS COMPARES FAVORABLY WITH THE QUALITY OF PAID STAFF REPORTS. COST DATA ON OTHER VOLUNTEER SERVICES WITHIN THE COURT SERVICES DIVISION CAN BE DEVELOPED BY APPLYING THIS CONCEPTUAL WORK AND DATA COLLECTION MODEL. APPENDIXES INCLUDE RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS AND DATA TABLES. OVER 20 FOOTNOTES ARE INCLUDED ALONG WITH TABULAR AND STATISTICAL DATA.