NCJ Number
88296
Editor(s)
M Morash
Date Published
1982
Length
122 pages
Annotation
Six case studies and three essays illustrate implementation difficulties in different criminal justice settings to alert policymakers to barriers to implementation and potential solutions.
Abstract
Lack of communication between agencies caused failure in implementing the Garnes decree, which would have allowed female prisoners from the District of Columbia to serve part of their sentences in the city rather than in distant Federal prisons. A study of a local economic crime unit showed how the goals of a national project can easily become subordinated to the more immediate concerns of the local agency. An analysis of robbery cases eligible for prosecution under the Michigan felony firearms statute revealed that prosecutors' actions deviated substantially from the legislative mandate, probably because of political factors. Attempts to implement saturation patrol, undercover surveillance, and regional detective bureaus illustrate the internal and external barriers affecting policy implementation in police agencies. A study of an innovative juvenile diversion program showed how changes in staff attitudes and behavior can change an intended design, regardless of whether a consensus had been reached. A discussion of court-ordered reform concludes that evaluation is needed in this area because implementers lack information on the extent of compliance with judicial decrees. Data tables, notes, and chapter references are supplied. For individual papers, see NCJ 88297-88304.