Summary
"At the turn of the twenty-first century, a new engine of police progressivism may have arisen. Characterized as a new crime-control program, Compstat combines all of the major prescriptions offered by contemporary organizational development experts (Beer 1980) with the latest geographic information systems technology. It also re-engineers police management by holding command staff directly accountable for crime levels in their beats. Furthermore, it uses sophisticated computer maps and crime statistics to facilitate timely and targeted responses to crime problems. This report provides an in-depth assessment of how Compstat worked in three police departments—Lowell, Massachusetts (LPD), Minneapolis, Minnesota (MPD), and Newark, New Jersey (NPD). It was unknown whether findings on Compstat would be the same for a different set of departments. By extending the research beyond a single site, however, it was hoped that a range of experiences that broaden and deepen discussion of this latest policing innovation would be captured."--Includes text from Introduction.
Contents
List of Tables and Figures --
Foreword --
Acknowledgments -- 1.
Introduction -- 2.
Background on Compstat and Its core elements -- 3.
Research sites -- 4.
Data and methods -- 5.
Analysis of departments’ experiences with Compstat -- 5.1.
Mission clarification -- 5.2.
Internal accountability -- 5.3.
Geographic organization of operational command -- 5.3.1.
Organizational structure -- 5.3.2.
Decision-making authority -- 5.3.3.
Coordination issues -- 5.3.4.
Geographic versus temporal organization -- 5.4.
Organizational flexibility -- 5.4.1.
Rivalry among districts -- 5.4.2.
Manpower -- 5.4.3.
Traditional approaches to resource allocation -- 5.4.4.
City politics -- 5.4.5.
Strategies to increase flexibility --
5.5. Data-driven problem identification and assessment -- 5.5.1.
Data collection -- 5.5.2.
Data analysis and presentation -- 5.5.3.
Use of data -- 5.6.
Innovative, problem-solving tactics -- 5.6.1.
Problem solving and brainstorming during Compstat meetings -- 5.6.2.
Follow-up -- 5.6.3.
Traditional responses -- 5.6.4.
Innovative responses -- 6.
Discussion -- 6.1.
Mission clarification -- 6.2.
Internal accountability -- 6.3.
Geographic organization of operational command -- 6.4.
Organizational flexibility -- 6.5.
Data-driven problem identification and assessment -- 6.6.
Innovative, problem-solving tactics -- 7.
Conclusion --
Appendix: Line officer survey --
References --
Authors.