NCJ Number
51927
Date Published
1978
Length
19 pages
Annotation
THE LAWRENCE, KANS., POLICE DEPARTMENT'S EFFORTS TO DEVELOP A PROGRAM FOR IDENTIFYING AND DEALING WITH CAREER CRIMINALS ARE DESCRIBED AND ASSESSED.
Abstract
AS PART OF THE INTEGRATED CRIMINAL APPREHENSION PROGRAM, A COMPREHENSIVE EFFORT TO IMPROVE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY OF POLICE SERVICES, A TASK FORCE WAS CREATED TO IDENTIFY AND ANALYZE PROBLEMS AND RECOMMEND SOLUTIONS (NEW POLICE PROGRAMS) FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE POLICE CHIEF. THE TASK FORCE, A PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT GROUP COMPOSED OF OFFICERS FROM ALL RANKS AND DIVISIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT, INCLUDED IN ITS ACTIVITIES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM OF CAREER CRIMINALS SINCE A TREND ANALYSIS CONDUCTED BY THE DEPARTMENT'S DATA UNIT HAD LINKED A FEW SUSPECTS TO MULTIPLE OFFENSES IN LAWRENCE. THE TASK FORCE'S WORK WHICH INCLUDED COORDINATION WITH CAREER-CRIMINAL PROGRAM-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES IN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, IS ASSESSED IN TERMS OF TASK FORCE DECISIONMAKING PROCESSES. AT THE TIME OF THE EVALUATION, THE KNOWN-OFFENDERS PROGRAM THAT RESULTED FROM THE TASK FORCE WORK HAD NOT BEEN FUNCTIONAL LONG ENOUGH TO BE ASSESSED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, WHILE TASK FORCE MEMBERS DID WORK TOGETHER SUCCESSFULLY TO DEVELOP A NEEDED PROGRAM THAT WAS APPROVED WITHOUT CHANGES BY THE CHIEF, DOCUMENTATION OF TASK FORCE ACTIVITIES WAS VERY POOR. AS A RESULT, EVALUATION OF PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT WAS DIFFICULT AND NECESSARILY LIMITED IN SCOPE. STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO ASSURE THAT THE KNOWN-OFFENDER PROGRAM AND THE PROSECUTOR'S CAREER-CRIMINAL PROGRAM CAN BE EVALUATED OBJECTIVELY ARE SUGGESTED. APPENDED MATERIALS INCLUDE COPIES OF TASK FORCE REPORTS DESCRIBING THE RATIONALE, OBJECTIVES, AND STRUCTURE OF THE KNOWN-OFFENDERS PROGRAM. SEE ALSO NCJ-51922-51926. (LKM)