INTERDEPENDENCE OF MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY POLICE FORCES AN ECONOMIC ANALYSIS (FROM ECONOMICS OF CRIME AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, 1976 BY LEE R MCPHETERS AND WILLIAM B STRONGE - SEE NCJ-37726)

• NCJ Number: 37742
• Author(s): J A GYLYS
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 17 pages
• Corporate Author: Charles C. Thomas
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS STUDY ATTEMPTS TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMAL QUANTITIES OF COUNTY POLICE ACTIVITY THAT EACH POLITICAL DISTRICT IN A MUNICIPAL AREA SHOULD RECEIVE AND THE TAX REVENUES THAT EACH DISTRICT SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO CONTRIBUTE.

Abstract

URBAN AREAS HAVE RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A CONSIDERABLE OUTMIGRATION, WITH A SIGNIFICANT PROPORTION OF THE POPULATION MOVING TO SUBURBAN AREAS AROUND THE CITY. THE MOUNTING OUTMIGRATION IS BEING MET BY INCREASED DEMANDS FOR POLICE SERVICES IN THE SUBURBAN AREAS. HOWEVER, MANY OUTLYING AREAS DO NOT POSSESS A TAX BASE BIG ENOUGH TO SUPPORT AN ADEQUATE POLICE DEPARTMENT. IT IS THEREFORE LIKELY THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE OUTLYING URBAN POPULATION WILL BE TURNING TO COUNTY GOVERNMENTS FOR POLICE SERVICES, THROUGH THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE OR SOME EQUIVALENT FORM OF COUNTY POLICE. IN ANALYZING HOW COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICES SHOULD REACT TO THESE NEW DEMANDS, THE STUDY FOUND THAT THE DISTRIBUTION OF SHERIFF'S SERVICES SHOULD BE INVERSELY PROPORTIONAL TO THE AMOUNTS OF CONTRIBUTED COUNTY TAX REVENUES BY INDIVIDUAL POLITICAL UNITS. THE AUTHOR CONCLUDES THAT ONLY A SYSTEM IN WHICH THE FISCALLY SUPERIOR POLITICAL AREAS ARE CHARGED WITH THE COST OF POLICE SERVICES FOR ALL WILL ENABLE METROPOLITAN AREAS TO GAIN THE HIGHEST MARGINAL BENEFITS FROM EXTRA DOLLARS SPENT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)