Assessment

Once a response strategy has been implemented, the next stage is to measure the effectiveness of the response. Assessment assists the practitioner to demonstrate success or to identify where a response strategy needs to be modified. Several measures have been used by problem solvers to assess the impact of a problem solving effort. These include the number of calls for police assistance (especially involving specific locations, victims or offenders); changes in the incidence of reported crime; and changes in the levels of complaints.

However, calls for service and complaints may not be the best indicators of a positive impact on a problem, because, in some instances, these indicators may can show an increase as the result of a problem solving effort because passengers or employees feel more comfortable making complaints or believe their calls will be taken seriously. However, when a problem solving effort does result in increased arrests or increased calls for service, management should look carefully at these outcomes. Were they the intended result of the initiative?

In other cases, it may be appropriate to use measures other than calls for police assistance or recorded crime levels. The other measures might include:

• Less serious or harmful incidents

• Better handling of the incidents and/or an improved response to the problem

• Reduced instances of repeat victimisation

• Decreases in related crimes or incidents

• Increased profits for businesses in target area; increased usage of area/increased (or reduced) foot and vehicular traffic; improved appearance; and less loitering.

• Increased public satisfaction regarding the handling of the problem which can be determined through surveys, interviews, focus groups, electronic bulletin boards, etc.; and

• Reduced public fear related to the problem.

The most obvious method of assessment is a comparison of data prior to the problem solving initiative, with data collated post initiative (e.g. have calls for service reduced, if so, by how many?). Ultimately as Best Value begins to have an impact, activity based costing should be used to ensure that the solution to the problem is also cost effective. The key is focusing on measures that demonstrate the impact on the targeted problem.