FINDING AN OPTIMUM GEOGRAPHICAL ALLOCATION FOR ANIT-CRIME DOLLARS AND OTHER GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES

• NCJ Number: 25025
• Author(s): S NAGEL; M NEEF
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 71 pages
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: PAPER PRESENTED ON THE PANEL ON 'APPROACHES TO EVALUATING GOVERNMENTAL POLICY,' MIDWEST POLITICAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION ANNUAL MEETING, 1975

Annotation

THE METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN ALLOCATING TO A SET OF GEOGRAPHICAL PLACES A QUANTITY OF SCARCE RESOURCES IN ORDER TO MAXIMIZE AN OVERALL GOAL OR GOALS.

Abstract

THE PROBLEMS OF ALLOCATION ARE DESCRIBED AND THEN ILLUSTRATED USING AS AN EXAMPLE THE ALLOCATION OF LEAA DISCRETIONARY FUNDS AMONG THE 50 STATES. THE METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS INCLUDE (1) ALLOWING FOR CONSTANT AND DIMINISHING RETURNS RELATIONS BETWEEN DOLLARS SPENT AND CRIMES REDUCED; (2) USING DATA FOR ONE, TWO, OR MORE TIME POINTS FOR EACH STATE; (3) CONTROLLING FOR DEMOGRAPHIC, SOCIO-ECONOMIC, AND OTHER VARIABLES THAT MIGHT INFLUENCE CRIME OCCURRENCE; (4) INTEGRATING ALLOCATION TO ACTIVITIES WITH ALLOCATION TO PLACES; (5) HANDLING INEQUALITY CONSTRAINTS AND (6) DEALING WITH CRIMES, PEOPLE, OR OTHER ENTITIES DIFFERENTLY IN DIFFERENT PLACES. THE MATHEMATICAL MODEL PRESENTED IS APPLICABLE TO OTHER GEOGRAPHICAL ALLOCATION PROBLEMS INVOLVING OTHER GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES SUCH AS THOSE DESIGNED TO MINIMIZE OR MAXIMIZE INDICATORS OF POLLUTION, RACIAL DISCRIMINATION, HOUSING QUALITY AND QUANTITY, EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, PERSON-MILES TRANSPORTED, INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY, AND OTHER SOCIAL INDICATORS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)