Valuating Law Enforcement Data in the 21st Century: An Adaptive Mixed-Methods Approach

These initial study objectives were modified throughout the project due to unexpected findings during project phases I and II. After completing these two phases, the scope of Phase III was to realign the project with the findings from the first two phases. The project was refined to focus on body-worn cameras (BWCs) and the costs and benefits associated with them. The project conducted a comprehensive literature review on this topic, and site visits were conducted with four law enforcement agencies (LEAs). The objective was to develop a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) tool for LEAs to use in determining whether to adopt BWCs. Phase IV turned the BWC CBA tool into a web-based calculator that can be used by agencies to assess the likely impact of BWCs on their agency. In discussing the implications of this project for criminal justice policy and practice, the barriers to CBA for law enforcement technology are identified and discussed, along with recommendations for how to overcome these barriers. 3 tables, 10 references, and appended methodological details