Defining the Bottom Line in Policing: Organizational Philosophy and Accountability (From Quantifying Quality in Policing, P 23-36, 1996, Larry T Hoover, ed. -- See NCJ-158093)

• NCJ Number: 158095
• Author(s): G L Kelling
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: Police Executive Research Forum (PERF)
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

This paper focuses on the validity of the Uniform Crime Reports (UCR) as an indicator of police effectiveness.

Abstract

Crime, as reflected by the crimes reported to the police and recorded in the UCR, is but one element of the bottom line of policing. Although there is a consensus that the UCR provides only a partial record of the number of actual offenses committed in various police jurisdictions, it still provides police with some measure as to whether their efforts are having an impact on the amount of crime in a given jurisdiction. Moreover, crime data allow police managers to determine how well personnel understand some of the problems that afflict their areas and to hold personnel accountable for such an understanding. Beyond these limited uses of UCR in the measurement of police performance, police agencies must develop other measures of the various goals of police performance. Measures of accountability must reflect the various values served by police departments, including indicators of justice, integrity, the wise use of force, citizen satisfaction, and efficiency. 22 notes