NCJ Number
63736
Date Published
1979
Length
14 pages
Annotation
THE KINDS OF CITIZEN'S INITIATIVE CRIME PREVENTION GROUPS THAT EFFECTIVELY REDUCE CRIME--BLOCK ASSOCIATIONS, BUILDING PATROLS, AND COMMUNITY GROUPS--ARE DESCRIBED, WITH SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
Abstract
THE PROGRAMS WERE CREATED IN RESPONSE TO THE RAPID INCREASE IN CRIME IN THE 1960'S AND 1970'S. FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW YORK CITY HOUSING AUTHORITY ESTABLISHED A TENANT PATROL PROGRAM TO IMPROVE PROTECTION FOR APPROXIMATELY 600,000 APARTMENT DWELLERS, STARTING WITH FULL-TIME, AROUND-THE-CLOCK UNIFORMED GUARDS; IT LATER CHANGED TO VOLUNTEER HELP, AND BY 1975 THERE WERE MORE THAN 12,400 VOLUNTEERS WORKING IN 746 BUILDINGS AND 118 DEVELOPMENTS. THE BROMELY-HEATH HOUSING PROJECT IN BOSTON EXPERIENCED A DRASTIC IMPROVEMENT IN THE CRIME RATE FOLLOWING A CHANGE IN MANAGEMENT. THE NEW LANDLORDS ESTABLISHED A COMMUNITY SECURITY FORCE OF EIGHT UNARMED TENANTS PAID UNDER A FEDERAL GRANT. MANY CHICAGO COMMUNITIES HAVE ADOPTED THE WHISTLE APPROACH TO ALERTING POLICE TO CRIMES IN PROGRESS, WHILE IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD., AND IN NEW YORK, PARENTS HAVE ORGANIZED GROUPS TO ENSURE CHILDREN'S SAFE JOURNEY TO AND FROM SCHOOL. NOT ALL SUCH COMMUNITY EFFORTS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL, HOWEVER, AND SOME HAVE ACTUALLY EVOLVED INTO VIGILANTE-STYLE MOVEMENTS. IN SOUTH BOSTON, FOR INSTANCE, WHERE JUDICIALLY MANDATED BUSING WAS IMPLEMENTED, BOTH BLACKS AND WHITES HAVE FORMED PARAMILITARY SQUADS TO BOLSTER THE CITY'S POLICE FORCE. BUT THE EXTENT OF SUCH GROUPS IS SMALL WHEN COMPARED TO THE 900,000 RESIDENT PATROLS ESTIMATED TO BE IN OPERATION BY A LEAA-FUNDED STUDY. IN GENERAL, THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PATROLS HAVE BEEN THOSE WITH A WELL-DEFINED PURPOSE, HAVING A SMALL PATROL AREA, AND PROTECTING THE COMMUNITY AGAINST EXTERNAL ENEMIES. THE FEDERAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING SUCH GROUPS IS DISCUSSED, AND STUDY QUESTIONS AND NOTES ARE PROVIDED. (DAG)