NCJ Number
208472
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 33 Issue: 1 Dated: January/February 2005 Pages: 43-54
Editor(s)
Kent B. Joscelyn
Date Published
January 2005
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Using data from cities in North Carolina, this study examined the potential links between community-oriented policing and evaluations of police activities, reactions to crime, and feelings of social integration.
Abstract
Past research in large urban areas found that community-oriented policing (COP) has had a positive effect on the public’s view of the police and their neighborhood. However, little is known about COP's impact on citizen perceptions in smaller cities. Using survey data from five small to midsize North Carolina cities, this study attempted to fill the gap in research by assessing the extent to which awareness of local police department’s COP efforts were related to residents’ evaluations of police-community relations, self-protection strategies, fear of crime, and feelings of community reintegration. A multiple-regression was used to analyze survey data from 524 respondents from the 5 small towns and cities. The survey assessed the success of local police departments in disseminating information about their COP program. Results of the survey indicated awareness of the police department’s COP was more strongly related to police services and community-integration than traditional high visible policing. From the perspective of the residents in the study, this new method of police services seemed to be a positive change. Appendix and references