NCJ Number
49826
Date Published
1976
Length
194 pages
Annotation
A LITERATURE REVIEW ANALYZES STUDIES ON THE DELIVERY OF URBAN PUBLIC SERVICES AND EMPIRICAL ESTIMATES OF COST, EXPENDITURE, PRODUCTION, AND DEMAND FUNCTIONS. PUBLIC ATTITUDES REGARDING SERVICE DELIVERY ARE DISCUSSED.
Abstract
PUBLIC FIRE, POLICE AND SANITATION SERVICES ARE EXAMINED. THE DOCUMENT BRIEFLY REVIEWS THE RATIONALES FOR PUBLIC AS OPPOSED TO PRIVATE SUPPLY OF CERTAIN GOODS AND SERVICE, AND DEFINES THE BASIC ELEMENTS RELEVANT TO THE ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY. THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, PRODUCTION, COST, AND DEMAND FUNCTIONS ARE PRESENTED. A SUMMARY AND EVALUATION IS MADE OF EMPIRICAL RESEARCH EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY FACTORS AFFECTING THE NATURE OF URBAN SERVICES AND TO DETERMINE THE STRUCTURAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SERVICE INPUTS AND OUTPUTS. SECTIONS PRESENT STUDIES ON DETERMINANTS OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURES, ESTIMATES OF PRODUCTION, COST, AND DEMAND FUNCTIONS FOR FIRE, POLICE, AND SANITATION SERVICES; SUMMARIES AND ASSESSMENTS OF RESEARCH ON PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF, AND SATISFACTION WITH, PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY ARE PRESENTED. EACH SECTION CONCLUDES WITH AN EVALUATION OF THE USEFULNESS OF THE RESEARCH FINDINGS FOR POLICYMAKING AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. IT IS FOUND THAT EMPIRICAL ATTEMPTS TO DETERMINE PUBLIC EXPENDITURE, PRODUCTION, COST, AND DEMAND FUNCTIONS FOR URBAN PUBLIC SERVICES HAVE FALLEN SHORT OF THEIR POTENTIAL USEFULNESS FOR POLICYMAKERS. AN IMPORTANT WEAKNESS OF ALL THE STUDIES REVIEWED IS THE OMISSION OR MISSPECIFICATION OF MEASURES OF SERVICE OUTPUT QUANTITY, OUTPUT MIX AND QUALITY, INPUT MIX AND QUALITY, AND INPUT FACTOR PRICES. THUS, THERE APPEARS TO BE A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE PROCESS OF DELIVERY OF FIRE, POLICE, AND SANITATION SERVICE, AND OF THE FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE QUALITY AND LEVEL OF SERVICE. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOULD ADOPT A DETAILED ANALYTICAL APPROACH. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DAG)