Syste Staff members are often the most fruitful source of knowledge of how the organisation functions on a daily a failure to recognise the potential for staff to develop an enthusiasm to embrace new, more efficient ms in the workplace. Planners of computerisation should therefore Keep staff informed of what is happening, prepare them for the changes which computerisation will bring, and train the staff to use the computer systems to best effect Involve the staff to make best use of their knowledge and skills, to assist with the design and implementation of the computer systems, and to develop the operational procedures within which the computers will be used 5.3 Feasibility of Projects The first stage of any project is to determine whether or not the costs of the proposed computer system can be justified, and to identify and evaluate the options for completing it. This takes the form of a feasibility study the outcome of which is a detailed report setting out the overall requirements of the system, the options available for meeting these requirements, the costs of implementing each option, and the anticipated benefits arising from it. The purpose of the feasibility study is to answer three basic questions I. Can a computer system meet the needs as identified? II. If so, how should the computer system be designed and configured Ill. Do the benefits arising from the implementation of the system outweigh the costs? At the end of a feasibility study, there should be a clear indication as to whether the project should or not, and the approximate costs of implementing the system should be known. This study provides the broad cost estimates for budgetary purposes, particularly in criminal justice agencies where budgets have to be planned at least one year in advance, and often more than three years Feasibility studies should not be lengthy, nor should they require extensive resources, considering that the project will already be part of the strategy definition. The actual resources required will depend on the size and complexity of the proposed system-not only because a complex system will require closer examination in order to identify the extent of the complexity, but also because it is clearly worth spending more time and resources on ensuring the correct decision with systems which are likely to be expensive. As a general guideline, the cost of a feasibility study should not exceed 5-10% of the total cost of the proposed system for which the study is undertaken In many governmental organisations, budget authorities may require the production of a feasibility study showing a positive rate of return on investment before funding for the system is approved. If it appears that implementation costs outweigh the benefits, the system design should be modified and reanalysed. It is important to note that the benefits of computer systems, particularly of those in criminal justice, cannot always be measured in monetary terms. The benefits of criminal history systems, for example, arise partly through savings in staff time making information available more rapidly), partly through improvements in productivity(by enabling higher percentage clear-up rates on criminal investigations), but also by the systems effect on public attitudes to crime and law enforcement(many citizens would place high value on removing criminals from the street ). In such cases,the quantifiable benefits should be identified and calculated, and the remaining subjective benefits should then be identified and compared with the balance of the system costs, a decision to proceed with the system can then be made In the particular context of criminal justice, it should also be kept in mind that because of the independent funding of different criminal justice agencies, it may not always be possible to transfer savings between agencies Thus it may not be possible to justify a computer system for the courts on the basis of savings made by the law enforcement agency, unless a broad view is taken of the funding of the overall criminal justice systemStaff members are often the most fruitful source of knowledge of how the organisation functions on a daily level, and a failure to recognise the potential for staff to develop an enthusiasm to embrace new, more efficient systems in the workplace. Planners of computerisation should therefore: C Keep staff informed of what is happening, prepare them for the changes which computerisation will bring, and train the staff to use the computer systems to best effect; C Involve the staff to make best use of their knowledge and skills, to assist with the design and implementation of the computer systems, and to develop the operational procedures within which the computers will be used. 5.3 Feasibility of Projects The first stage of any project is to determine whether or not the costs of the proposed computer system can be justified, and to identify and evaluate the options for completing it. This takes the form of a feasibility study, the outcome of which is a detailed report setting out the overall requirements of the system, the options available for meeting these requirements, the costs of implementing each option, and the anticipated benefits arising from it. The purpose of the feasibility study is to answer three basic questions: I. Can a computer system meet the needs as identified? II. If so, how should the computer system be designed and configured? III. Do the benefits arising from the implementation of the system outweigh the costs? At the end of a feasibility study, there should be a clear indication as to whether the project should proceed or not, and the approximate costs of implementing the system should be known. This study provides the broad cost estimates for budgetary purposes, particularly in criminal justice agencies where budgets have to be planned at least one year in advance, and often more than three years. Feasibility studies should not be lengthy, nor should they require extensive resources, considering that the project will already be part of the strategy definition. The actual resources required will depend on the size and complexity of the proposed system - not only because a complex system will require closer examination in order to identify the extent of the complexity, but also because it is clearly worth spending more time and resources on ensuring the correct decision with systems which are likely to be expensive. As a general guideline, the cost of a feasibility study should not exceed 5-10% of the total cost of the proposed system for which the study is undertaken. In many governmental organisations, budget authorities may require the production of a feasibility study showing a positive rate of return on investment before funding for the system is approved. If it appears that implementation costs outweigh the benefits, the system design should be modified and reanalysed. It is important to note that the benefits of computer systems, particularly of those in criminal justice, cannot always be measured in monetary terms. The benefits of criminal history systems, for example, arise partly through savings in staff time (by making information available more rapidly), partly through improvements in productivity (by enabling higher percentage clear-up rates on criminal investigations), but also by the system’s effect on public attitudes to crime and law enforcement (many citizens would place high value on removing criminals from the street). In such cases, the quantifiable benefits should be identified and calculated, and the remaining subjective benefits should then be identified and compared with the balance of the system costs; a decision to proceed with the system can then be made. In the particular context of criminal justice, it should also be kept in mind that because of the independent funding of different criminal justice agencies, it may not always be possible to transfer savings between agencies. Thus it may not be possible to justify a computer system for the courts on the basis of savings made by the law enforcement agency, unless a broad view is taken of the funding of the overall criminal justice system