NCJ Number
121292
Date Published
1989
Length
14 pages
Annotation
The increasing use of computers in police organizations has generated several organizational and social issues.
Abstract
Computerization has generally offered police organizations a powerful tool in such areas as workloads, scheduling, performance, budgeting, and program evaluation. Computers both enable police agencies to perform their traditional functions faster and more efficiently and raise the possibility of adding activities that were previously impossible. Management information systems offer the potential for improving the quality of management, and artificial intelligence and expert systems may promote a different way of looking at problemsolving. Police managers will need to help overcome the fear and resistance to change that often accompany the introduction and expansion of computer technology in organizations. They must also learn how to deal with the information elites that consist of the people most knowledgeable about computer technology and information systems. Finally, they must confront issues related to privacy and security, the need for standardization, and the need for Federal policy and regulation of private electronic databases. 28 references.