NCJ Number
64138
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 7 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1979) Pages: 400-425
Date Published
1979
Length
26 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY FOCUSES ON THE IMPACT OF THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS) USED FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS.
Abstract
THE CMS IS DESIGNED TO INCREASE INPUT BY AND FEEDBACK TO THE INVESTIGATOR'S SUPERVISOR. QUALITY INVESTIGATIONS ARE ACHIEVED BY EARLY SUPERVISOR INPUT AND CONTROL OF INVESTIGATIONS; ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEPARTMENTWIDE, STANDARDIZED INVESTIGATIVE SYSTEM; AND DOCUMENTED INDIVIDUAL CASE FOLDERS FOR CASES RECEIVING INPUT BEYOND USUAL INITIAL INVESTIGATION. TO EXAMINE THE SYSTEM'S QUALITY IMPROVEMENT OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS, EVALUATORS STATISTICALLY ANALYZED DATA ON THE ROBBERY, BURGLARY, AND SEX CRIMES SQUADS AND ON THREE SELECTED PRECINCT INVESTIGATION UNITS' CUMULATIVE ARREST AND CLEARANCE RATES FOR JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 1974 (PRESYSTEM) AND JANUARY THROUGH MARCH 1975 (SYSTEM IN USE). A LIKERT-TYPE QUESTIONNAIRE TECHNIQUE WAS ALSO USED TO EVALUATE THE COURT PRESENTATION, SUPERVISORY INPUT, AND DOCUMENTATION VALUES OF THE CMS. THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT THE CMS HAS HAD MODEST SUCCESS IN REACHING ITS OBJECTIVES AND THAT IT APPEARS LIKELY TO PRODUCE AN EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATIVE AID. THE APPARENT KEY TO SUCCESS RESTS ON THE CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT AND INVOLVEMENT OF THE INVESTIGATIVE SUPERVISORS. THEIR LEADERSHIP QUALITIES AND COMPREHENSIVE APPLICATION OF THE SYSTEM'S MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES WILL DETERMINE THE DEGREE OF OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN CRIMINAL CASE INVESTIGATIONS. A FLOW CHART ILLUSTRATES THE CMS. EXTENSIVE TABULAR DATA AND FOOTNOTES SUPPORT THE EVALUATION. A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS APPENDED.