Wayne Welsh, Philip Harris: Criminal Justice Policy and Planning, 4th Edition

Case Studies with Questions and Answers

Chapter 01: Analyzing the Problem

Scenario based on Case Study 1–2 (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.

Questions

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.

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.

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 road conditions.