The costs of implementing and maintaining the old and new systems could then be added to this measurement to give an overall assessment. The softer benefits in quality of life or citizen and officer confidence are much harder to quantify and should at least be identified and described. Leverage is about taking advantage of elements or events in the environment to strengthen your case. Highlighting the actions of others also creates leverage. Comparing your situation with other states or jurisdictions sets up a bit of healthy competition for investments in good performance.
Elections can present unique opportunities to be heard by both citizens and candidates.
A human tragedy that occurred because critical data was unavailable can become a powerful call to action. Leverage can also be found in broad assessments of how certain investments can reap multiple benefits. For example, many justice applications benefit from geographic information systems but so do economic development, environmental quality, and county or municipal services. Elected officials and budget officers are more likely to favor this kind of investment over one that meets only a single need. Look carefully for these kinds of leverage.