NCJ Number
49393
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
UNDERCOVER ACTIVITIES OF THE NEW YORK CITY STREET CRIME UNIT, AN LEAA EXEMPLARY PROJECT, ARE OUTLINED.
Abstract
FROM THE STATUS OF THE EXEMPLARY PROJECT, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE UNIT HAS BEEN EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING CRIME AND IMPROVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE; IT IS ADAPTABLE TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS, HAS DEMONSTRATED OBJECTIVE EVIDENCE OF ACHIEVEMENT, AND IS COST-EFFECTIVE. THE STREET CRIME UNIT RELIES HEAVILY ON DECOY TACTICS IN RESPONSE TO PARTICULAR CRIME/VICTIM PATTERNS. IN ADDITION, VARIOUS OPERATIONS ARE UTILIZED TO PERMIT OFFICERS TO MOVE FREELY IN THE STREET TO OBSERVE AND INTERRUPT ACTUAL CRIME. ALTHOUGH USE OF NONUNIFORMED OFFICERS GOES BACK TO THE EARLY 1960S IN NEW YORK CITY, IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1970 THAT THE COMMANDER OF EACH PRECINCT WAS AUTHORIZED TO UTILIZE A PERCENTAGE OF CIVILIAN CLOTHED PERSONNEL TO COMBAT CRIME. AN EARLY EFFORT, THE TAXI-TRUCK SURVEILLANCE UNIT, UTILIZED OFFICERS WHO ASSUMED THE MANNER AND EQUIPMENT COMMON TO TAXI AND TRUCK DRIVERS WITH A RESULTANT DECREASE IN THE FREQUENCY OF ASSAULTS ON AND ROBBERIES OF TAXI AND TRUCK DRIVERS. SUCCESS OF THIS PROGRAM, A DECREASE OF TAXI ROBBERIES FROM 3,210 IN 1970 TO 1,294 IN 1976, EVENTUALLY LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE STREET CRIME UNIT. THE UNIT FOCUSES PRIMARILY ON VIOLENT STREET CRIME WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF REDUCING CRIME AND MINIMIZING CRIMINAL OPPORTUNITY. FOLLOWING BACKGROUND RESEARCH INTO CRIME PATTERNS AND MODUS OPERANDI FOR A CATEGORY OF CRIME IN A SPECIFIC LOCATION, A DECOY ASSUMES THE GUISE OF A POTENTIAL VICTIM AND IS PLACED IN A HIGH-RISK LOCATION. THE DECOY, OFTEN UNARMED, PLAYS A PASSIVE ROLE UNDER THE OBSERVATION OF A BACKUP TEAM. A NUMBER OF SPECIAL TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED AND SPECIAL TRAINING AND REGULATIONS HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED TO DEAL WITH THE SPECIAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN DECOY IDENTIFICATION BY OTHER OFFICERS AND THE SPECIAL LOGISTICS INVOLVED IN DECOY-VICTIM/OFFENDER CONFRONTATIONS. PERSONNEL SELECTION REQUIRES INTENSIVE SCREENING AND EXTENSIVE TRAINING. IN ADDITION TO FOCUSING ON SELECTED CRIME CATEGORIES AND LOCATIONS, UNIT PERSONNEL HAVE RECENTLY BEGUN FOCUSING ON SELECTED VICTIM GROUPS SUCH AS THE ELDERLY, THE DISABLED, AND WOMEN. PHOTOGRAPHS OF UNIT PERSONNEL IN ACTION AND A TABULAR COMPARISON OF ARRESTS FOR UNIFORMED AND DECOY PERSONNEL BY CRIME CATEGORY FOR 1975 AND 1976 ARE ALSO PROVIDED. (JAP)