HOW EFFECTIVE ARE YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICES? PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MUNICIPAL SERVICES

• NCJ Number: 46877
• Author(s): H P HATRY; L H BLAIR; D M FISK; J H GREINER; J R HALL; P S SCHAENMAN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 330 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Housing and Urban Development; National Science Foundation; National Ctr for Productivity and Quality of Working Life
• Corporate Author: International City/County Management Assoc; The Urban Institute
• Sale Source: The Urban Institute
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT PROVIDES SUGGESTIONS FOR MEASUREMENT PROCEDURES AND DATA COLLECTION WHICH CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CAN USE TO EVALUATE THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THEIR SERVICES.

Abstract

MEASURES AND DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES ARE DISCUSSED FOR THE FOLLOWING BASIC SERVICES PROVIDED BY CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS: CRIME CONTROL, FIRE PROTECTION, SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL, RECREATION, LIBRARIES, LOCAL TRANSPORTATION, WATER SUPPLY, AND HANDLING OF CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AND REQUESTS FOR SERVICES. THE EMPHASIS IS ON TECHNIQUES WHICH ARE APPROPRIATE FOR SMALL AND LARGE COMMUNITIES. THE SECTION ON CRIME CONTROL DOES NOT CONSIDER THE POLICE ROLE IN TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT OR EMERGENCY MEDICAL AID, THOUGH TRAFFIC CONTROL MEASURES ARE COVERED BRIEFLY IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTION. INSTEAD, THE FOCUS IS DEFINED AS PROMOTING THE SAFETY OF THE COMMUNITY AND A FEELING OF SECURITY AMONG THE CITIZENS, PRIMARILY THROUGH THE DETERRENCE/PREVENTION OF CRIME AND THE APPREHENSION OF OFFENDERS, AND PROVIDING SERVICE IN A FAIR, HONEST, PROMPT, AND COURTEOUS MANNER. A TABLE PRESENTS 26 SPECIFIC MEASUREMENTS OF CRIME CONTROL SERVICES TOGETHER WITH CRIME DATA SOURCES. SLIGHT MODIFICATIONS OF CRIME STATISTIC COLLECTION ARE SUGGESTED TO AID EVALUATION; THESE INCLUDE PROVIDING CRIME RATES SEPARATELY FOR BUSINESSES AND FOR RESIDENCES, CONSIDERING TRANSIENT AS WELL AS RESIDENTIAL POPULATIONS IN DETERMINING CRIME RATES, AND IDENTIFYING RATES FOR THOSE CRIMES USUALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO POLICE DETERRENCE SUCH AS CRIME VISIBLE FROM THE STREET. EACH MEASURE SUGGESTED IN THE TABLE IS EXPLAINED IN DETAIL IN THE ACCOMPANYING TEXT. IN ADDITION TO CRIME STATISTICS, AN EVALUATION SHOULD INCLUDE A GENERAL CITIZEN SURVEY, A SURVEY OF BUSINESSES, AND A SURVEY OF PERSONS WHO HAVE CALLED FOR SERVICE. THESE SURVEYS SHOULD FOCUS ON CITIZEN PERCEPTION OF POLICE SERVICES. SUCH SURVEYS COULD COST $10 TO $15 PER CONTACT. THIS DATA IS ESSENTIAL TO FULLY EVALUATE CRIME CONTROL SERVICES. SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR EACH CHAPTER IS PROVIDED.