Law Enforcement Productivity and Crime Triangle Theory (Essay Sample)

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Law Enforcement Productivity and Crime Triangle Theory
Law enforcement productivity can be improved through availing of rewarding systems, proper training and better equipment to officers. It promotes satisfaction and motivation of officers, thus improves performance of the entire law enforcement agency. According to Cohen and Felson (Clarke and Eck), crime triangle puts together the elements of the target, offender and location with absence of capable guardian intervention for a crime to occur. The target or victim can be involving a person protecting his or her property or others. Lack of a guardian will make the victim prone to attack.
Community Policing
Community policing is often voluntary and saves on enforcement resources like staffing. It enables the resources to be deployed in other areas and focus on crime reduction and prevention. In addition, volunteering for community policing helps in freeing up officer time which reduces work stress makings officers to be more efficient (Palmiotto 255). Resources such as patrol cars and other equipment for law enforcement agency are not used in community policing because the sworn in officers maintain order and security. It improves on flexibility of the law enforcement agencies, so that only have to respond to new challenges in other areas using these resources.
Evaluations in Law enforcement Agencies
According to Rostow and Davis (239), inaccurate and incomplete Performance Evaluations (PEs) is a result of law enforcement agencies using PEs as documentation to solve matters on discipline and legal procedures. It can be avoided through use of proper planning and use of PEs as well as using accomplishments of an officer. Lack of accountability to embrace PEs by is a major concern. The police have a negative attitude and culture towards PEs because they feel that it is bossy and controlling. A practice to instill confidence in PEs will ensure officers embrace the evaluation and accountability. Inadequate skills, funds and resources within an agency will greatly affect the success of the PEs. There should be support from the top management for all the requirements needed to perform the objectives.
Evaluations improve the performance standards of an individual and the agency by facilitating objective communication and proper utilization of resources within law enforcement agencies (Hess and Orthmann). However, formal evaluations rate the personality rather than the achievement of an officer making it not to be embraced. There is a bias to ratings in evaluations because the procedures and policies involved are documented and do not identify the accomplishments and efforts of an officer. Stering asserts that performance evaluations based on documentation ensures fair review and evaluation of an officer. It promotes acceptability and participation that boosts confidence in officers and improves their performance.
Inspections
Staff inspections are evaluations conducted on the officers so that they achieve their objectives as required by the law agencies. It ensures that agencies have qualified officers in terms of training and skills. Agency or department inspection ensures that all the activities conform to the objectives of the agency. It also ensures that the agency has all the resources required to perform its tasks. Both the agency and staff is inspected and evaluated to ensure proper collaboration and integration. Evaluation of how policies and procedures affect the agencies, and their employees are also inspected to ensure they are fair and just so that good performance is realized (Wrobleski and Hess).
Employment Laws
Civil Rights Act prohibits employing people based on sex, color, religion, race or national origin. It protects law enforcement officers from discrimination in the hiring process or during service. The law enables constant review of tests administered to police applicants to ensure fairness. The inspection of the hiring process empowers minority groups to secure employment in the police force. For instance, female applicants can be hired based on merit other than gender (Gaines and Kappeler 92). Another law, the Police Act, refutes the dismissal of a police officer without a fair trial and calls for reinstatement of such policemen in case they are found to be innocent (Emir 55). Both laws mentioned above are beneficial to the hiring process of law enforcement officers because it accords them fairness and carrier protection.
Planning for Disasters
Pre-disaster planning serves two important purposes: it helps in the prevention of disasters and quick and smooth recovery in case they strike (Kahn). According to Czerwinski, all stakeholders from departments of public safety, public works, and planning, construction and community service should be involved. The areas they should focus on are the disaster prevention, emergency rescue, rehabilitation and economic recovery to ensure an easier transition in a disaster period to normalcy.
Funding
Federal and state agencies provide grants to law enforcement agencies. According to Mann, the Law enforcement agencies can increase their chances of getting funds by searching for the available grants and understanding which federal or state agency award such grants. Grants can be awarded to the state according to the population and crime rates or in line with the evaluation of the awarding agency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) sets aside approximately $3 billion dollars annually to help law enforcement agencies prepare for disasters (Hess and Orthmann 496)
Management-Employee Conflict
It occurs because the managers set their specific goals and standards which they then rely on employees to deliver. According to Cronkhite, supervisors should not infringe officer’s rights when assigning them duties. Management rights are among them hiring and disciplinary procedures, determining work schedules and assignments. The conflict arising from these rights are better resolved at the lowest ranks in the law enforcement agency; between the patrol officers and their immediate superiors.
Budgeting systems and the Quartermaster system
According to Kirst-Ashman and Hull (128), line-item budgeting system focuses on specific areas (maintenance, personnel or training) in need then allocates funds. The needs are identified based on the previous year’s budget and the expected changes in the future. It is easy to formulate, but anticipated expenses may be overestimated or underestimated. In the performance budgeting system, funds are channeled based...