Chapter Twelve Decision Making Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and Management Learning Objectives Be able to define decision making Understand the basis for decision making rules of criminal justice practitioners Understand the garbage can theory of decision making Be able to briefly discuss the four types of criminal justice decision makers Understand the major themes to improving criminal justice decisions What is a Decision? A decision is a judgment, a choice between alternatives (Houston, 1999). Decisions are often made within the context of a theory or broad framework (paradigm). Three kinds of information An awareness of the alternatives An awareness of the possible consequences of each alternative The subject of the decision What is a Decision? Decision rules govern how the elements of the decision are combined. In criminal justice many decisions are clinical and based on the decision makers education, training, and experience. All decisions should be based on goals or preferred outcomes. Feedback provides the opportunity to correct previously made decisions. What is a Decision? Decision Making Theory Rationality to Garbage Cans Initially, decision making was thought to be a rational process. Later, March and Simon (1958) proposed that decisions are based on bounded rationality Decision makers are unable to collect all the information they need to make a completely rational decision. The result is satisfycing – taking the first acceptable solution that comes along. “Garbage can” analogy – decision makers keep previously made decisions and use them as needed. Decision Making Theory Organizational Culture Decisions are often influenced by the organizational culture. “We’ve always done it that way.” “It worked in the past.” “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Organizations tend to define problems and identify solutions to problems based on deeply rooted values and beliefs. Decision Making Theory Politics Politics is power and power influences decision making. Internal politics – processes by which interested parties within the organization express their concern and seek implementation and acceptance of their ideas and practices. External politics – consist of the influence that outside parties exert on the organization’s definition of mission, the appropriate types of operations the organization exhibits, and the directions it takes. Characteristics of Decision Makers Sequentialists – use their experience to determine what items of information are the most important to the decision. Ah yes! – collect large amounts of information and search for patterns in that information. Simplifier – reduces complex problems to their simplest form. Ratifier – wait for comments by someone else and then associate themselves with that person’s viewpoint. Decision Making Styles Directive – make decisions and announce them, highly ta ...

1. Chapter Twelve
Decision Making
Criminal Justice Organizations: Administration and
Management
Learning Objectives
Be able to define decision making
Understand the basis for decision making rules of criminal
justice practitioners
Understand the garbage can theory of decision making
Be able to briefly discuss the four types of criminal justice
decision makers
Understand the major themes to improving criminal justice

2. decisions
What is a Decision?
A decision is a judgment, a choice between alternatives
(Houston, 1999).
Decisions are often made within the context of a theory or broad
framework (paradigm).
Three kinds of information
An awareness of the alternatives
An awareness of the possible consequences of each alternative
The subject of the decision
What is a Decision?
Decision rules govern how the elements of the decision are
combined.
In criminal justice many decisions are clinical and based on the

3. decision makers education, training, and experience.
All decisions should be based on goals or preferred outcomes.
Feedback provides the opportunity to correct previously made
decisions.
What is a Decision?
Decision Making Theory
Rationality to Garbage Cans
Initially, decision making was thought to be a rational process.
Later, March and Simon (1958) proposed that decisions are
based on bounded rationality
Decision makers are unable to collect all the information they
need to make a completely rational decision.
The result is satisfycing – taking the first acceptable solution

4. that comes along.
“Garbage can” analogy – decision makers keep previously made
decisions and use them as needed.
Decision Making Theory
Organizational Culture
Decisions are often influenced by the organizational culture.
“We’ve always done it that way.”
“It worked in the past.”
“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Organizations tend to define problems and identify solutions to
problems based on deeply rooted values and beliefs.
Decision Making Theory
Politics
Politics is power and power influences decision making.

5. Internal politics – processes by which interested parties within
the organization express their concern and seek implementation
and acceptance of their ideas and practices.
External politics – consist of the influence that outside parties
exert on the organization’s definition of mission, the
appropriate types of operations the organization exhibits, and
the directions it takes.
Characteristics of Decision Makers
Sequentialists – use their experience to determine what items of
information are the most important to the decision.
Ah yes! – collect large amounts of information and search for
patterns in that information.
Simplifier – reduces complex problems to their simplest form.
Ratifier – wait for comments by someone else and then
associate themselves with that person’s viewpoint.

6. Decision Making Styles
Directive – make decisions and announce them, highly task
oriented and a low tolerance for ambiguity.
Analytical – high tolerance for ambiguity and tend to
overanalyze situations.
Conceptual – work well with people and rely on discussion with
others to consider the problem and possible solutions.
Behavioral – like to interact with others and welcome open
discussions.
Decision Making Styles
Decision making styles can also range on a continuum from
Autocratic – boss makes and announces the decision, to
Laissez-faire – totally subordinate centered.
Some decision makers are democratic or participative and
encourage input from subordinates.
Police chiefs tend to
Be autocratic,
Be directive, and
Rely on traditional beliefs and assumptions

7. Characteristics of Information
Accuracy – most important, but often least attainable because
information is;
Complied from numerous sources,
From people with a vested interest in the outcome, and
Often only summarizes information about groups.
Order of presentation – affects sequentialist the most, but
overall does affect the outcome of a decision.
Availability of alternatives – often there are only two possible
outcomes. Additional alternatives complicate the process.
Discretion
“a situation in which an official has latitude to make
authoritative choices not necessarily specified within the source
of authority which governs his decision making” (Atkins and
Pogrebin (1992:1).
Often essential in criminal justice decision making.
Complicated nature of job
Incomplete information
Others argue that discretion is “uncontrolled decision making”.

8. Recent attempts have been made to objectify decision making
through weighted questionnaires.
Discretion
Prediction
Prediction of the future influences criminal justice decision
making.
The decision to arrest or not arrest
Criminal sentencing
Probation conditions
Recent applications of statistical techniques have improved this,
but have not removed all unintended outcomes.

9. Prediction
Improving Criminal Justice Decisions
Themes for improving decision making
Equity – similar decisions for similar situations
Accuracy – making correct decisions
Consistency with theory – adhering to a consistent paradigm or
framework
Consistency with resources – pragmatism
Contribution to future decisions – use prior decisions and their
outcomes to influence future decisions

10. Ethical Considerations
Decisions are often made under:
Time constraints,
During conflict, and
With personal bias.
Close and Meier (1995) pose four questions.
Will the decision violate Constitutional rights?
Does the decision treat individuals as mean?
Is the decision illegal?
Does the decision violate policy or a professional code of
ethics?
Chapter Summary
A decision is based upon goals and is the process of making a
choice between alternative paths toward the goal.
Information can exhibit the alternatives available.
The consequences of a decision can be estimated.
Decision rules are clinical in nature.
Decisions are influenced by the decision maker’s education,
training, and experience.

11. Chapter Summary
Decision makers keep a repertoire of solutions in a “garbage
can” and pull the solutions out as when they encounter a
problem.
There are four types of criminal justice decision makers.
Sequentalist – make decisions based on experience
Ah yes – search for patterns in large amount of information
Simplifier – reduces complex problems to simplest form
Ratifier – waits for comments and feedback from others
Chapter Summary
The important themes in criminal justice decision making are:
Equity – similar dispositions across similar cases
Accuracy – separating the guilty from the innocent
Consistency – applying the same decision rules over time

12. Improved decision making should contribute to future decisions.
Thinking Point and Question
Your department has just received $2,000,000 from an asset
forfeiture fund. This money may be spent in any way the
department chooses.
You call a meeting of the command staff to decide how this
money should be spent. During the meeting your four
supervisors make the following statements.
Classify these decision makers as either sequentialist, ah yes!,
simplifier, or ratifier.
Thinking Point and Question
“The last time we got one of these checks we used it to upgrade
our radios. That was ten years ago. I think it is time we do that
again.”

13. “Let’s ask the city manager, city council, mayor and maybe
even have a town hall meeting before we decide.”
“Let’s just put it in the bank and wait for a rainy day.”
“Let’s look over our strategic plans for the past ten years and
identify a need that we have not yet addressed.”