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LIFE CYCLE COSTING TECHNIQUES APPLICABLE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES - LAW ENFORCEMENT STANDARDS PROGRAM

NCJ Number
13987
Author(s)
R KAPSCH
Date Published
1974
Length
43 pages
Annotation
PRESENTATION OF THE TECHNIQUE OF LIFE CYCLE COSTING, AN ANALYTIC TOOL TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF VARIOUS DESIGN ALTERNATIVES IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE FACILITY CONSTRUCTION.
Abstract
PLANNERS, ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS AND OTHERS ENGAGED IN THE PLANNING, DESIGN, AND CONSTRUCTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES ARE CHARGED WITH A NUMBER OF DECISIONS THAT WILL AFFECT FUTURE RESOURCE ALLOCATION BY THE AGENCY OPERATING THE NEW FACILITY. SUCH FUTURE RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS AFFECT THE PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES REQUIRED TO OPERATE THE FACILITY, AS WELL AS THE FREQUENCY OF RESOURCE REPLACEMENT. DECISION-MAKERS SHOULD BE SENSITIVE TO THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THEIR DECISIONS PROTECTED OVER THE LIFE OF THE FACILITY. THE ANALYTIC TOOL, PRESENTED IN THIS PAPER FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF VARIOUS DESIGN ALTERNATIVES, IS THE TECHNIQUE OF LIFE CYCLE COSTING. TWO BASIC PRINCIPLES COMPRISE THIS TECHNIQUE. PRIMARILY, EXPENDITURES ARE TO BE MINIMIZED OVER THE LIFE CYCLE OF THE FACILITY AND SHOULD BE CALCULATED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TIME VALUE OF MONEY--A CONCEPT WHICH RECOGNIZES MONEY'S OPPORTUNITY COST. (BECAUSE OPPORTUNITIES EXIST FOR INVESTMENT AND FOR A RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT, IT IS GENERALLY RECOGNIZED THAT THE VALUE OF MONEY VARIES WITH TIME.) THOUGH USE OF THIS LIFE CYCLE COSTING TECHNIQUE, TOTAL ALLOCATIONS BY AN AGENCY FOR A LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITY CAN BE MINIZED. THE REPORT IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS. PART I EXPLAINS THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF BUILDING ECONOMICS AND THEIR APPLICATION TO THE PROBLEMS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES. IN PART II, MATHEMATICAL FORMULAS, APPLICABLE TO ECONOMIC PROBLEM SOLVING, ARE DEVELOPED. PART III PROVIDES ILLUSTRATIONS OF PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS INVOLVING BUILDING ECONOMICS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT FACILITIES. IN PART IV, TABLES ARE PROVIDED TO AID LAW ENFORCEMENT PLANNING OFFICIALS APPLY LIFE CYCLE COSTING TECHNIQUES TO THE PROBLEMS ILLUSTRATED IN THIS REPORT. (SNI ABSTRACT)