PUBLIC SERVICES INDUSTRY APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF POLICE IN METROPOLITAN AREAS - POLICE SERVICES STUDY TECHNICAL REPORT

• NCJ Number: 36781
• Author(s): E OSTROM; R B PARKS; G P WHITAKER
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 37 pages
• Grant Number(s): GI-43949
• Sponsoring Agency: National Science Foundation
• Corporate Author: Indiana University
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THIS REPORT DISCUSSES MEASURES WHICH PROVIDE A METHOD FOR DESCRIBING DIFFERENCES AND SIMILARITIES IN INTERORGANIZATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR DIFFERENT POLICE SERVICES WITHIN A METROPOLITAN AREA.

Abstract

A PRIVATE INDUSTRY (PRODUCERS/CONSUMERS) APPROACH IS USED TO DESCRIBE THE PATTERNS OF SERVICE DELIVERY BETWEEN POLICE AGENCIES AND INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS OR HOUSEHOLDS AND THE PATTERNS OF RELATIONSHIPS AMONG DIFFERENT AGENCIES IN THE FAYETTEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, STANDARD METROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREA (SMSA). BOTH DIRECT (GENERAL AREA PATROL, TRAFFIC INVESTIGATION, BURGLARY INVESTIGATION) AND INTERMEDIATE (RADIO COMMUNICATIONS, ENTRY-LEVEL TRAINING, ADULT PRETRIAL DETENTION) SERVICES ARE MEASURED ACCORDING TO EACH OF SEVEN SERVICE AREAS AND TO THE TYPE OF PRODUCTION (REGULAR OR IRREGULAR). THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PRODUCERS AND THEIR CONSUMERS ARE ARRAYED IN A SERVICE MATRIX ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING SERVICE DELIVERY MEASURES: FRAGMENTATION, MULTIPLICITY, INDEPENDENCE, AUTONOMY, ALTERNATION, COORDINATION, DUPLICATION, AND DOMINANCE. FRAGMENTATION IS DEFINED AS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS FOR THE SERVICE, MULTIPLICITY AS THE NUMBER OF PRODUCERS OF THE SERVICE, AND INDEPENDENCE AS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS RECEIVING SERVICE FROM THEIR OWN PRODUCER DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS. AUTONOMY IS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS RECEIVING SERVICE FROM THEIR OWN PRODUCERS EXCLUSIVELY DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS. COORDINATION IS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS RECEIVING SERVICE FROM A COORDINATED ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN TWO OR MORE PRODUCERS DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS. ALTERNATION IS DEFINED AS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS RECEIVING SERVICE FROM ALTERNATING PRODUCERS IN TIME, SPACE OR CLIENTELE DIVIDED BY THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS. DUPLICATION OCCURS WHEN A SERVICE AREA RECEIVES A SERVICE FROM TWO OR MORE SEPARATE PRODUCERS AND DOMINANCE COUNTS THE NUMBER OF SERVICE AREAS SERVED BY THE LARGEST PRODUCER IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA. FOR A RELATED DOCUMENT, SEE NCJ-36772.