As a supervisor in a criminal justice agency, you may be responsible for proposing and implementing initiatives or programs that can support their police department’s mission or goals. Budgeting experience will help you show stakeholders and partners the costs and benefits of supporting your ideas.
synthesize what you have learned in the course to propose a budget for a criminal justice initiative of your choice.
Select a criminal justice initiative that is of interest to you.
Create a 2-part budgeting proposal (presentation and executive summary) in which you propose a budget for the initiative, align it to outcomes, and provide a strategy for budgeting accountability.
Develop your proposal as though you are a criminal justice professional responsible for putting together a budget presentation for a supervisor.
Part 1: Create a 12- to 15-slide presentation that includes the following headings and topics:
Initiative Objectives
Summarize the initiative you would like to implement.
Identify the criminal justice domain (law enforcement, courts, corrections) and level of government (federal, state, local) for which the initiative is suitable.
Justify the initiative by explaining why the initiative is necessary or useful to the organization. Incorporate relevant details related to the organization’s mission statement.
Budgetary Costs
Estimate the total cost of the initiative.
Explain the direct and indirect costs associated with the budget.
Include direct and/or indirect expenditures and their associated costs (e.g., salaries/wages, facilities, equipment, material/supplies, travel, consultants).
Include capital expenditures.
Budgetary Sources
Explain the budget source(s) you will use for the initiative. Include details related to public sector funding and other relevant sources of funds.
Budgetary Approach
Analyze how a performance-based budget approach will support the budget proposal. Note: Review Table 6-1 in Ch. 6, “Budget System Reforms: Trying to Make Better Choices,” of Fiscal Administration.
Identify 2–3 desired performance outcomes of the initiative.
Explain the budgetary costs required to track and meet the desired performance outcomes.
Accounting
Explain how you will ensure consistent accountability and transparency in the budget process.
Explain how the budget will be audited or reviewed and the review process.
Explain how you will measure outcomes or progress of the initiative through the budget.
Explain strategies you will use to reduce or prevent errors.