As an administrator in a criminal justice organization, you will be expected to ensure the budgets you manage align to performance goals. A performance-based budget is one of many budgeting approaches organizations can use to ensure a budget is making progress toward its desired outcomes. Relying on evidence and results to analyze how well a budget is being used will help you make effective budgetary decisions.

Before completing this weeks discussion, review the budget you used to complete the assignments in Weeks 1 and 2. You may also review Figure 6-2, The Salt Lake City Performance Budget, on p. 270 of Fiscal Administration for examples of performance-based budgets.

• What are some characteristics of performance-based budgeting?
• What are some advantages and disadvantages of performance-based budgeting?
• How does the organization you selected incorporate performance-based budgeting?
• If the organization you selected does not incorporate performance-based budgeting, how does the organization reflect or incorporate program outcomes to the budget?
• When responding to classmates, compare the organization you chose to theirs. Is one organization more successful at describing their strategic plan and aligning their budget to reflect outcomes? Why or why not?