A manager in criminal justice needs to understand the budgeting policies and strategies in their agency
A manager in criminal justice needs to understand the budgeting policies and strategies in their agency. The ability to critically examine a budget’s economic context will help you articulate fiscal needs and obligations of both your agency and the constituents your agency serves. In this assessment, you will review a criminal justice agency budget to determine how the agency is funded and regulated.
Preparation
Select a local, state, or federal criminal justice agency that you currently work for or would like to work for in the future (e.g., city police department, court, county public defender’s office, city jail system).
Review the agency’s financial records available to the public. Research the following items:
- The budget: current and anticipated expenditures
- The strategic plan: the approach the agency is using to use the funds from the budget
- Governing policies: current policies and/or laws that resulted in the creation of the agency and govern daily operations
- External considerations: the economic or legislative factors that impact the budget
- Sources and uses of funds: taxes, fees, and other forms of income that support the budget
Assessment Deliverable
Imagine your local city council has asked your agency to provide the budget summary at the next town hall. The city council wants to understand how your budget is developed and managed.
Write a 700- to 1,050-word summary explaining the agency’s budget strategies and policies and how the agency’s governing policies determine budget administration.
Include the following details in your summary:
Governing Policies: Governing policies help an organization develop and implement procedures or policies that result in efficient, consistent operations.
- Summarize the published mission of the agency.
- Summarize 1–2 governing policies related to the agency’s mission.
- Explain how the policy/policies support the agency’s mission.
Strategic Plan: Organizations use strategic plans to define present and future vision, goals, and objectives.
- Summarize 2–3 primary goals and objectives outlined in the agency’s strategic plan.
- Explain how the goals and objectives align with the agency’s mission.
Public Sector Funding: Most criminal justice organizations are funded by government entities; these funds are often determined by economic factors.
- Describe 2–3 programs or initiatives that are funded by the agency budget. Include costs associated with each.
- Describe the various sources of budget revenue used to fund the programs or initiatives. Be sure to differentiate between local, state, and federal revenue as well as private donations.
- Of the sources you identified, specify the type of public funds used to support the programs or initiatives (e.g., sales tax, property tax, income tax, grant funds, donations).
- Describe how changes in economic conditions could potentially affect these funds.
- Identify policies that direct the use of these funds.
Fiscal Responsibility: Ongoing review of income and expenses is essential to budget management.
- Identify policies that govern how the agency ensures accountability and transparency in reporting the budget to constituents.
- Explain how the agency reports outcomes related to the mission and budget.
Conclusion:
- Conclude with a paragraph summarizing the effectiveness of the budgeting process within the agency.
Provide a link to the website of the agency and the budget you reviewed.
