NORTH DAKOTA - ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE - CONSUMER FRAUD DIVISION - AN EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 15681
• Author(s): B L WRIGHT
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 99 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: North Dakota Combined Law Enforcement Council
• Corporate Author: University of North Dakota
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ASSESSMENT OF A PROGRAM TO INVESTIGATE CLAIMS OF FRAUD OR MISREPRESENTATION IN THE SCALE OR ADVERTISEMENT OF MERCHANDISE.

Abstract

THE CONSUMER FRAUD DIVISION KEEPS SEVERAL TYPES OF STATISTICS INCLUDING MONTHLY LOGS OF CASES CLOSED AND MONIES RECOVERED FOR COMPLAINANTS. THE EVALUATOR HAS CONSTRUCTED 12 PAGES OF TABULAR DATA ON THE TYPES OF COMPLAINTS HANDLED BY THE DIVISION AND THE VARIOUS REASONS FOR EACH CLASS OF COMPLAINT. AN EVALUATION SURVEY FORM WAS MAILED TO ALL POLICE CHIEFS, SHERIFFS, AND STATES ATTORNEYS IN NORTH DAKOTA. RESPONSES INDICATED STATES ATTORNEYS AS A GROUP WERE THE MOST AWARE OF THE EXISTENCE AND ACTIVITIES OF THE DIVISION, AND HAD THE MOST CONTACT WITH IT. THE SURVEY RESPONSES OF THE POLICE CHIEFS AND SHERIFFS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A SERIOUS NEED FOR AN INFORMATION PROGRAM FOR BOTH LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC. CONSUMER EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND PRINTED LITERATURE HAD NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN DIVISION ACTIVITIES DUE TO A LACK OF FUNDS. THERE WAS A LACK OF FORMAL PROCEDURAL GUIDELINES, RECORDS, AND PROGRESS REPORTS. CITED WAS THE LACK OF TIME, MONEY, AND PERSONNEL AVAILABLE TO THE DIVISION. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS A COPY OF THE EVALUATION SURVEY FORM AND COPIES OF THE FORMS USED BY THE CONSUMER FRAUD DIVISION.