NCJ Number
34860
Date Published
1976
Length
362 pages
Annotation
THE SECURITY SURVEY IS AN INDEPTH ON-SITE EXAMINATION OF A FACILITY AND ITS SURROUNDING PROPERTY TO DETERMINE ITS SECURITY STATUS, DEFINE THE PROTECTION NEEDED, AND MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO MINIMIZE CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION.
Abstract
THE PURPOSE OF THIS NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM PHASE ONE ASSESSMENT OF THE SECURITY SURVEY WAS TO GATHER AND ASSESS INFORMATION AND PRIOR STUDIES RELATING TO THIS TECHNIQUE. WORK FOCUSED ON IDENTIFYING AND DOCUMENTING HOW THE SECURITY SURVEY IS IMPLEMENTED; WHAT 'SUCCESS' IN RELATION TO THE SECURITY SURVEY MEANS AND HOW IT IS AND COULD BE MEASURED; AND THE CURRENT STATE OF THE ART, INCLUDING THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR RESEARCH NEEDED TO SUPPORT OR REJECT THE CONCLUSIONS DRAWN FROM PRIOR RESEARCH AND AVAILABLE DATA. THIS REPORTS DETAILS THE PROJECT METHODOLOGY AND DESCRIBES THE NATURE OF THE AGENCIES SAMPLED (IN MAIL, TELEPHONE, AND FIELD SURVEYS) TO GATHER INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SECURITY SURVEY, IT THEN PRESENTS A DETAILED ASSESSMENT OF THE SECURITY SURVEY PROCESS VIS-A-VIS THE REQUIRED PROJECT 'FRAMEWORK' AND DISCUSSES A VARIETY OF ISSUES WHICH RELATE TO THE PROCESS. ONLY A LIMITED NUMBER OF EVALUATIONS WERE IDENTIFIED THAT FOCUSED ON THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE SECURITY SURVEY TECHNIQUE OR ON THE OVERALL IMPACT OF THE VARIOUS APPROACHES THAT MAY BE USED IN IMPLEMENTING SUCH PROGRAMS. HOWEVER, THE EVALUATIONS DID VERIFY THAT THE TECHNIQUE CAN HAVE A MEASURABLE EFFECT ON REDUCING VICTIMIZATION AMONG SURVEY RECIPIENTS, IN ADDITION, APPROXIMATELY 80 PERCENT OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES STUDIED BELIEVED THEY HAVE HAD 'SOME SUCCESS' OR WERE 'VERY SUCCESSFUL' IN ACHIEVING CRIME PREVENTION/SECURITY GOALS. SIXTY PERCENT OF THE 206 SECURITY SURVEY PROGRAMS STUDIED ARE OR WERE PREVIOUSLY FUNDED THROUGH LEAA, NEARLY ALL UTILIZED THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY AS THEIR PROGRAM SERVICE AREA (ALTHOUGH THE AVERAGE POLICE SURVEY UNITS CONSISTED OF LESS THAN TEN PERSONS), AND LESS THAN 20 PERCENT OF THE AGENCIES STUDIED MAINTAINED SURVEY RECIPIENT COMPLIANCE RATES. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED CONTINUING LEAA EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE THE INITIATION OF SECURITY SURVEY PROGRAMS THROUGH ITS VARIOUS FUNDING MECHANISMS; DEVELOPING AND MAKING AVAILABLE A 'MODEL' SET OF ASSUMPTIONS, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES TO ALL AGENCIES HAVING OR CONSIDERING A SECURITY SURVEY PROGRAM; INCORPORATING INDEPTH MODULES ON SECURITY SURVEY PROGRAM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION IN CRIME PREVENTION TRAINING PROGRAM CURRICULA; AND INCLUDING ONGOING EVALUATION COMPONENTS IN ALL SECURITY SURVEY PROGRAMS. THE APPENDIX CONTAINS SAMPLE STUDY QUESTIONNAIRES, A LIST OF CRIME PREVENTION PUBLICATIONS, AND STATE-BY-STATE LISTING OF AGENCIES KNOWN TO CONDUCT SECURITY SURVEYS. A SEVEN-PAGE BIBLIOGRAPHY IS INCLUDED. FOR RELATED REPORTS ON THE NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM ASSESSMENT OF SECURITY SURVEYS, SEE NCJ-34858 AND 59.