NCJ Number
46870
Date Published
1978
Length
284 pages
Annotation
THE STUDY DEFINES PROBLEMS INHIBITING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EXISTING CONSUMER PROTECTION AGENCIES AND EXAMINES ALTERNATIVES TO THE PRESENT AGENCIES. THE PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE IS ANALYZED IN TERMS OF COST AND BENEFIT.
Abstract
STATE AND LOCAL CONSUMER PROTECTION AND FRAUD AGENCIES IN CALIFORNIA ARE UNABLE TO WORK EFFECTIVELY AGAINST DECEPTIVE BUSINESS PRACTICES DUE TO A LACK OF MANPOWER AND RESOURCES AND AN ABSENCE OF COMMUNICATION LINKS BETWEEN THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINT-HANDLING AGENCIES. PERPETRATORS ARE AWARE OF THE LACK OF COUNTY-TO-COUNTY REPORTING AND CAN MOVE FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION WITH LITTLE FEAR OF PROSECUTION. SEPARATE CASES DO NOT REVEAL THE SCOPE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES, AND THE RESULT IS THAT LOWER FINES ARE CHARGED TO THE COMPANIES. INVESTIGATING AGENCIES ARE OFTEN HINDERED FROM FILING CHARGES AGAINST A COMPANY SINCE THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS IN THEIR AGENCY IS NOT SUFFICIENT FOR THIS ACTION, EVEN THOUGH COMPLAINTS AGAINST THE SAME BUSINESS MAY HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO ANOTHER AGENCY. THE PRESENT MANUAL AND DECENTRALIZED INFORMATION SYSTEMS ARE UNABLE TO PRODUCE EFFECTIVE RESULTS. A STATEWIDE INFORMATION-SHARING SYSTEM IS SUGGESTED AS A SOLUTION. A MODEL STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES AND PERFORMANCE CRITERIA ARE PRESENTED. THE SECOND PART OF THE FEASIBILITY STUDY CONSIDERS SOLUTION ANALYSIS. FOUR ALTERNATIVES FOR SOLVING THE COMMUNICATIONS PROBLEM ARE EXAMINED: (1) A NONSTATEWIDE SYSTEM, SIMILAR TO THE PRESENT SYSTEM; (2) A MANUAL SYSTEM WITH IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN AGENCIES; (3) AN AUTOMATED SYSTEM DESIGNED AFTER ONE BEING USED IN WISCONSIN; AND (4) A NEW AUTOMATED SYSTEM SPECIFICALLY DEVELOPED FOR CALIFORNIA. THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS ARE WEIGHED, AND COST COMPARISON OF THE FOUR SYSTEMS IS CONDUCTED. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW AUTOMATED INFORMATION-SHARING SYSTEM IS THE PREFERRED AND MOST ECONOMICAL ALTERNATIVE. A COST/BENEFIT ANAYSIS IS PROVIDED, AND A MILESTONE CHART FOR REPORTING ON THE SYSTEM IS INCLUDED. APPENDIXES CONTAIN A HANDBOOK ON WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, A COPY OF THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS ACT OF 1970, COPY OF THE CONSUMER FRAUD TASK FORCE FINAL REPORT, REPRODUCTIONS OF LETTERS FROM COOPERATING AGENCIES, A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED SYSTEM, DETAILED COST ESTIMATES, RATE SCHEDULES, AND A COPY OF THE COOPERATIVE CONSUMER PROTECTION PROGRAM GRANT APPLICATION. (DAG)