NCJ Number
95214
Date Published
1984
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This paper summarizes the goals and nature of the Integrated Criminal Apprehension Program (ICAP), the design and results of a four-site evaluation of the program, the factors limiting the program's effectiveness, and five topics on which further research is needed.
Abstract
Sponsored by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration ICAP began in 1976 and aimed to introduce several state-of-the-art planning, patrol, and investigative programs to a wide range of police agencies across the Nation. The basic goal of ICAP was to increase apprehensions and deter crime. The program components were grouped into four categories: analysis, patrol management, investigative management, and police and prosecutorial efforts directed at serious habitual offenders. The national evaluation entailed process and impact assessments of the ICAP model in 4 of the 52 participating departments. An analysis of 3,152 felony cases was conducted as part of the impact evaluation. The evaluation sites were Memphis, Tenn.; Norfolk, Va.; Springfield, Va.; and Stockton, Calif. The active commitment of the police chief was found to be the most significant determinant of successful ICAP implementation. The ICAP project director also played a crucial role. Major findings covered crime reporting and the apprehension process, crime analysis, crime and arrest trends, and factors contributing to arrest. ICAP's impact on the arrest process was limited by the constraints under which the police work, the failure of any site to fully implement the program, the lack of integration of ICAP with departmental routines, and various aspects of ICAP's design. Further research is needed on police efficiency, the crime analysis system, case development after arrest, case attrition, and police crime prevention activities. One table is included.