April 2017   Wright State University MPA Capstone Project

Quantifying the Benefits of
Mediation
By: Karla Knox & Patrick Gray
Contact email: knox.8@wright.edu & gray.260@wright.edu

The Study

The Results

Looked at all addresses where a referral to mediation
occurred from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.

Not many referrals to
Mediation
 Less than 10% - 78 cases
referred out of 850
potential
 45 officers made
referrals out of 350
officers
Outcome of 78 cases
 Mediation
completed = 8
 Conflict coaching
completed = 42
 No intervention = 28
Increase/decrease in calls
 Mediation completed =
82.9% decrease
 Conflict coaching
completed =
5% decrease
 No intervention = 26.8%
increase

These addresses were then cross referenced with the
police database to obtain all the calls for service at
the addresses from January 1, 2015 to December 31,
2016.
This 24 month period allowed for the collection of
calls six months before and six months after the
mediation period of July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
For each address, all calls for service were identified
and counted for six months before and six months
after the referral to mediation to determine if there
was a decrease in calls after referral to mediation. The
percentage decrease or increase in calls for service for
each category was calculated.
Prior research found that average time to respond to
calls is 32 minutes per call.
Prior research found that mediation causes a
decrease in calls. Roosevelt E Shepherd 1995 study
in Pennsylvania and Dr. Lorig Charkoudian 2005 and
2010 studies in Maryland.

 The Impact of Mediation Services for Neighborhood Disputes; A Potential for a Great Reduction in
Calls to the Police

3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0

# OF CALLS WHEN NO
MEDIATION REFERRAL
WAS MADE

# OF CALLS HAD
CONFLICT COACHING
BEEN COMPLETED
AFTER THE FIRST CALL

# OF CALLS HAD
MEDIATION BEEN
COMPLETED AFTER
FIRST CALL

* Source: Dayton Police Department, Dayton Mediation Center
*Numbers represent potential call reduction for calls for service from 7/1/15 to 6/30/16

HOURS OF POLICE TIME

Potential time saving to Police if Neighbor Disputes go through Mediation

1800
1600
1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0

1782
884
531
Time spent on
calls when no
referral was
made to
mediation

Time spent on
calls had conflict
coaching
occurred after
first call for
service

Time spent on
calls had
mediation
occurred after
first call

*Source: Dayton Police Department, Dayton Mediation Center
*Visual represents potential time savings to police from 7/1/15 to 6/30/16 based on assumption of 32 minutes per call
(Charkoudian 2005) & (Taxter 2017)

 Potential time saving to Police if Neighbor Disputes go through Mediation;
Even a conservative estimate shows significant time savings

HOURS OF POLICE TIME

1400
1251

1200
1000

939

898
800
674
600
400
200
0

0
Time savings with no
referral to mediation

Time savings if conflict
coaching occurs

High Limit 32 min per call

Time savings if mediation
occurs

Lower Limit 24 min per call

*Source: Dayton Police Department, Dayton Mediation Center
*Visual represents time period between 7/1/15 to 6/30/16
*Estimated time saved based on the assumptions of 32 minutes per call as a higher limit (Charkoudian 2005) & (Taxter 2017) and
24 minutes per call as a lower limit (Shepherd 1995)

Easily Refer Cases Online from in cruiser computer

 RECOMMENDATIONS
1

2

Dayton Mediation
Center holds an
information session with
all police department
command staff
educating them on the
benefits of mediation

DPD implements a
procedure where
officers refer all
neighbor dispute calls to
the Dayton Mediation
Center after the first
call for service to the
address

3

4

DMC provides
initial and ongoing
training regarding
the effectiveness of
mediation

DPD provides
quarterly training
to DMC via ridealongs

5
DMC replicates this
study or completes a
more in depth study in
the future

Potential savings of between 674 and 1251 hours per year of police officer time