CBA In Action: 10 Questions to Ask

Overview

Cost-benefit analysis sometimes involves rigorous social science research—but it need not. An essential first step is simply to list the costs and benefits of a particular technology or practice, consider the possible alternatives, and identify the policies that must be put in place in order to achieve the maximum benefit while minimizing any attendant costs.

Our “Cost-Benefit Analysis in Action” worksheet breaks down the analysis into ten questions that can help policymakers, police departments, and communities make more informed decisions about how policing occurs.