A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to test the efficacy of providing prioritized warrant lists to patrol officers. A field experiment was carried out with the Greensboro (NC) Police Department. Warrant risk profiles were calculated from an analysis of historical offending; historical risk...

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Main Authors: Travis A. Taniguchi, Brian Aagaard, Peter Baumgartner, Amanda R. Young
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2023-03-01
Series:Crime Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40163-023-00184-5
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author Travis A. Taniguchi
Brian Aagaard
Peter Baumgartner
Amanda R. Young
author_facet Travis A. Taniguchi
Brian Aagaard
Peter Baumgartner
Amanda R. Young
author_sort Travis A. Taniguchi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The objective of this experiment was to test the efficacy of providing prioritized warrant lists to patrol officers. A field experiment was carried out with the Greensboro (NC) Police Department. Warrant risk profiles were calculated from an analysis of historical offending; historical risk factors were used to implement prospective risk assessment for committing a violent crime while having an outstanding warrant issued during the field experiment. During the period from March 01, through July 31, 2019, people with warrants were randomly allocated to treatment or control. Outcomes included: number of warrants served, time to service, and average risk score of warrants served. Prioritization was not effective in promoting additional warrant service. No differences were found in the risk scores of people served. However, assessment of time to service suggested that warrants were served more quickly during the experimental period. Implementation of warrant prioritization had limited impacts; the process evaluation demonstrated the difficulty in modifying police patrol behaviors.
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spelling doaj.art-31c39dc796644ad1b1b244bb9b05db842023-03-22T10:39:34ZengBMCCrime Science2193-76802023-03-0112111710.1186/s40163-023-00184-5A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officersTravis A. Taniguchi0Brian Aagaard1Peter Baumgartner2Amanda R. Young3Division of Applied Justice Research, RTI InternationalDivision of Applied Justice Research, RTI InternationalCenter for Data Science, RTI InternationalDivision of Applied Justice Research, RTI InternationalAbstract The objective of this experiment was to test the efficacy of providing prioritized warrant lists to patrol officers. A field experiment was carried out with the Greensboro (NC) Police Department. Warrant risk profiles were calculated from an analysis of historical offending; historical risk factors were used to implement prospective risk assessment for committing a violent crime while having an outstanding warrant issued during the field experiment. During the period from March 01, through July 31, 2019, people with warrants were randomly allocated to treatment or control. Outcomes included: number of warrants served, time to service, and average risk score of warrants served. Prioritization was not effective in promoting additional warrant service. No differences were found in the risk scores of people served. However, assessment of time to service suggested that warrants were served more quickly during the experimental period. Implementation of warrant prioritization had limited impacts; the process evaluation demonstrated the difficulty in modifying police patrol behaviors.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40163-023-00184-5WarrantsPolicingPolice strategy
spellingShingle Travis A. Taniguchi
Brian Aagaard
Peter Baumgartner
Amanda R. Young
A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers
Crime Science
Warrants
Policing
Police strategy
title A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers
title_full A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers
title_fullStr A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers
title_full_unstemmed A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers
title_short A field-experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers
title_sort field experiment testing the impact of a warrant service prioritization strategy for police patrol officers
topic Warrants
Policing
Police strategy
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40163-023-00184-5
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