COMMUNITY CRIME CONTROL - AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

• NCJ Number: 17057
• Author(s): A ETZIONIHEIDT S; S CRAWFORD; J KERNODLE; M PERELMAN; M J WILSON
• Date Published: 1973
• Length: 259 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Ctr for Policy Research
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

FINDINGS OF AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF VOLUNTEER CRIME CONTROL PROGRAMS, WHICH SPECIFIES SOME OF THE MAJOR SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE STABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY OR LEGALITY OF SUCH PROGRAMS.

Abstract

THE EXPLORATORY RESEARCH CONSISTED PRIMARILY OF CASE STUDIES OF FOUR VOLUNTARY CRIME CONTROL PROGRAMS IN A LARGE EASTERN CITY, SO THAT KEY ISSUES, PROBLEMS, PROCESSES, AND FACTORS COULD BE ISOLATED. THE PROGRAMS WERE ALL VERY DIFFERENT. PROGRAM MEMBERSHIP PRESENTED A WIDE RANGE OF CLASS AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND, AND THE PROGRAMS DIFFERED IN THE ATTRIBUTE OR BASE FROM WHICH THEIR MEMBERS ARE DRAWN AND IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH WITH THE POLICE. TYPES OF DATA COLLECTED DURING THE YEARLONG STUDY INCLUDED ORGANIZATIONAL DATA, AND MEMBER CHARACTERISTICS SUCH AS PARTICIPATION AND MEMBER ATTRIBUTES. A DESCRIPTION OF EACH OF THE FOUR PROGRAMS STUDIED IS PROVIDED. ALSO DISCUSSED ARE THE PROJECTS' STRUCTURES, ACTIVITIES, LEADERSHIP, AND PROBLEMS RELATING TO STABILITY AND RESPONSIBILITY. STABILITY WAS FOUND TO BE THE GREATEST PROBLEM FOR VOLUNTEER CRIME CONTROL PROGRAMS. FACTORS WHICH MAY POSITIVELY AFFECT STABILITY WERE IDENTIFIED AS DEDICATED LEADERSHIP, A COMPATIBLE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, REWARDS AND INCENTIVES, AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT. IN GENERAL, RESPONSIBILITY IN THE FORM OF LEGALITY AND LEGITIMACY WAS NOT FOUND TO BE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THESE PROGRAMS. A CRIME CONTROL ORGANIZATION MEMBER QUESTIONNAIRE USED IN THE STUDY IS APPENDED.