On Righteousness, Evidence, And Reform:The Police Story
Abstract
On Righteousness, Evidence, And ReformThe Police Story SAGE Publications, Inc.1975DOI: 10.1177/107808747501000404 ElinorOstrom Department of Political Science Indiana University The predominant wisdom has argued for many years that particular types of jurisdictional arrangements are conclusive evidence of a low output of governmental services and inefficient utilization of public resources. In 1972, for example, the Committee for Economic Development severely criticized the criminal justice "non-system" which, though in "dire need of modernization," would not be helped by "piece-meal tinkering" (CED, 1972: 13). One major obstacle to broad national reform lies in the complex nature of American federalism as it relates to crime and justice, making evasion of responsibility easy. Citizens who desire better protection for persons and property become confused over which level of government or which agencies are primarily at fault. Wherever they turn, they find a resistance to change traditional in both bureaucratic and political circles. The result is continuing deterioration-a trend that must be reversed, promptly and decisively, to secure a viable society. The main constitutional responsi- ALTTHOR'S NOTE: The author is appreciative of the support provided by the Research Applied to National Needs Division of the National Science Foundation in the form of Grant GI-43949. Vincent