NCJ Number
158099
Date Published
1996
Length
35 pages
Annotation
This paper addresses the issues involved in measuring the impact of community problem-oriented policing.
Abstract
Community problem-oriented policing is defined by its two key components: community engagement and problemsolving. Community engagement is an ongoing dialog between the police and members of the public. Problemsolving involves identifying problems in the neighborhood, understanding the conditions that cause these problems, developing and implementing solutions tailored to relieve the problems, and determining the impact of the solutions on the problems. Following this definition, the author explains how community problemsolving differs from and builds on traditional policing practices. Also discussed are measures that have been used for many years to support investments in traditional policing, with a view toward their value and limitations. This section is followed by a discussion of community problem-oriented policing measures, using for examples the experiences of several agencies over the past several years. The paper then focuses on the integration of some of the traditional measures used in policing with problemsolving. Much of the discussion and debate about community policing acknowledges the difficulty of implementation but generally does not recognize that some traditional activities must coexist with the new ideas being proposed. The final section addresses the importance of placing greater emphasis on outcomes than police agencies have in the past. 2 tables, 6 notes, and 30 references