Case studies For Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Planned Change, 6E ByWayne N. Welsh, Philip W. Harris, Bradley D. Edwards
Chapter 1 Case Study Chapter 1: Analyzing the Problem Scenario: Idaho’s Statistical Analysis Center Helps State Police Solve Personnel Allocation Problem State Police patrols must be allocated in an efficient manner in order to meet demands and keep costs in line. The Idaho State Police wanted to determine how many troopers would be needed if a trooper were to pass every mile of the state’s interstates and highways once a day. They also wanted to know the number of troopers needed to provide adequate coverage for calls for service and interagency assistance in each region of the state. For further information, see: https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/idahos-statistical-analysis-center-helps-statepolice-solve
Questions 1. What evidence is needed to demonstrate the need for patrol services on state highways? Correct Answer Data on the locations and frequencies of crashes and calls for assistance will indicate the extent of need. 2. What are some reasons why the need for police patrol services is not the same on all sections of highway? Correct Answer Traffic density, road conditions, and weather will affect the frequency of crashes and calls for assistance. Moreover, these same factors will affect how rapidly a patrol car can reach the scene of an accident or a stranded vehicle. 3. What are some reasons why this problem hasn’t been adequately addressed before now? Correct Answer Although state police administrators have adjusted patrols to what they perceived to be the need for services in the past, the availability of Geographic Information System (GIS) software for analyzing data enabled the Statistical Analysis Center to classify sections of highway in terms of
conditions that would affect the speeds at which patrol cars could travel, such as traffic density and road conditions.
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Chapter 2: Setting Goals and Objectives Scenario: Top-Down versus Bottom-Up Goal Setting: Responding to Negative Information about Conditions of Juvenile Confinement (based on Case Study 2.1) In 1994, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, released a report that showed deplorable conditions in the facilities housing juvenile delinquents across the country. The Congressionally mandated study found that in the nearly 1,000 facilities operating at that time, there were “substantial and widespread deficiencies” in living space, security, control of suicidal behavior, and health care. The facilities were overcrowded, youths and staff were suffering high rates of injuries, suicidal behavior was frequent, and health and mental health care was inadequate and sometimes unavailable. The report also found that the conditions were no better in facilities that met correctional accreditation standards. Joining businesses and government in the movement toward standards that indicate performance rather than process,
Questions 1. What goals were established by OJJDP and other stakeholders to address this
problem? Correct Answer Leaders at the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) set out to develop national performance-based standards, setting the highest goals for facilities and providing outcome measures (numbers such as rates, percentages) to monitor progress meeting the standards. In addition, they, along with the Council of Juvenile Correctional Administrators, created a system for juvenile agencies to demonstrate improvement and success in treating confined youths through national standards and performance outcome measures.
2. How were these goals translated into measurable objectives?
Correct Answer The Council of Correctional Administrators, along with OJJDP, assembled an Advisory Board with members representing national organizations and relevant government entities to define and guide PbS’ development in order to create widely accepted and supported national standards and encourage voluntary participation.
3. What outcome data are measured, and how are these data used?
Correct Answer PbS asks facilities to report data twice a year on 106 outcomes that indicate performance toward meeting 30 standards derived from seven goals—one goal for each of the following components of facility operations: safety, security, order, programming (including education), health/mental health, justice, and reintegration. In this case, standards are objectives that are defined in terms of the values of the system and best practices among facilities nationally. Facilities collect the data from administrative records, youth records, youth exit interviews, incident reports, and climate surveys of youths and staff. The information is entered into the web portal and is reported back in easy-to-read bar graph reports. Each outcome is reported for the current data collection period as well as any past data collections, allowing for comparison over time. The reports also include the average outcome of the field, which provides a quick analysis of whether the facility is doing better or worse than other PbS facilities. The outcomes include critical rates such as injuries, suicidal behavior, assaults, time in isolation, percentages of youths receiving suicide and mental health screenings, changes in academic achievement from admission to release, and percentages of youths completing educational, life skills, behavior management, and other programming curricula.
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Chapter 3: Designing the Program or Policy Scenario: A Model Domestic Violence Law Enforcement Policy (based on Case Study 3.2) Domestic violence is a serious crime against the individual and the community. The failure of any law enforcement officer to respond and handle a domestic call properly will expose individuals and the community to danger, up to and including death. Because domestic violence can and does result in the death of individuals, every
response to a domestic call shall be treated the same as any other crime against a person. Every response to a domestic call, no matter how frequent, requires that every step possible be taken to insure the safety of the victim, including providing a safety plan to the victim and, if necessary, transporting the victim and children, if appropriate, to another site for safekeeping.
Questions 1. Describe five or more factors that should NOT be considered by a police officer
as an independent compelling reason NOT to arrest the perpetrator. Correct Answer
the marital status of the suspect and the victim whether the suspect lives on the premises with the victim (except as may be necessary to qualify the parties as “members of an unmarried couple”) whether the victim has not obtained a protective order against the perpetrator the potential financial consequences of arrest whether there have been previous law enforcement responses to domestic calls at this address verbal assurances that the violence will cease the victim’s emotional status whether physical injuries suffered by the victim can be personally observed at the time of the law enforcement response the location of the incident (i.e., public or private) speculation that the victim may not follow through with the prosecution, or that the arrest may not lead to a conviction the victim’s initial reluctance regarding an officer-initiated arrest the fact that the victim and suspect are of the same gender the use of alcohol or other drugs by either or both parties
2. Describe at least five general responsibilities of a police officer when responding
to a domestic violence call. Correct Answer