NCJ Number
67629
Date Published
1972
Length
109 pages
Annotation
THIS STUDY IS A SYSTEMS ANALYSIS OF THE TECHNICAL, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PROVIDING AUTOMATIC LOCATION IDENTIFICATION (ALI) IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 911 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER.
Abstract
THE ALI WOULD ADD TO THE EXISTING BENEFITS OF THE 911 SYSTEM THE ABILITY TO ELECTRONICALLY IDENTIFY THE ADDRESS LOCATION FROM WHICH A 911 EMERGENCY CALL IS PLACED. THIS TECHNOLOGICAL REFINEMENT WOULD IMPROVE THE SPEED AND ACCURACY OF PROCESSING EMERGENCY CALLS, INCLUDING THOSE COMPLICATED BY LANGUAGE PROBLEMS, THE DEAF AND DUMB CALLS, AND THE POSSIBLE SUICIDE. THIS STUDY ANALYZES THE VARIOUS PROBLEMS, EVALUATES THE TECHNICAL METHODS AND COST CONSIDERATIONS INVOLVED, AND OUTLINES PRACTICAL SOLUTIONS CONSISTENT WITH CURRENT STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGIES. THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT 911 ON THE PART OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS AND CITIZENS HAS DAMPENED THE ENTHUSIASM OF THE TELEPHONE INDUSTRY WHICH IS GETTING LITTLE OR NO REVENUE FROM THE 911 SYSTEM. STRONG LOCAL LEADERSHIP IS INDISPENSABLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 911 SYSTEM, THE BENEFITS OF WHICH ARE ENORMOUS EVEN IN ITS PRESENT STATE. THIS SYSTEMS ANALYSIS HIGHLIGHTS THE USEFULNESS OF 911, AND NOTES OBJECTIONS TO THE SYSTEM. ONE OF THE MAIN OBJECTIONS VOICED AGAINST 911 IS A LACK OF ENTHUSIASM TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CENTRALIZED ANSWERING POINTS. THE PLANNED ALI IS ALSO INHIBITED BY THE HIGH FIXED COSTS TO TELEPHONE COMPANIES AND LIMITATIONS INHERENT IN PRESENT TELEPHONE SWITCHING SYSTEMS. A GLOSSARY OF DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS, NUMEROUS OPERATIONAL DIAGRAMS, AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. A LIST OF 11 SELECTED REFERENCES IS APPENDED. (LGR)