NCJ Number
164423
Date Published
1996
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This film explores new ways in which police agencies and community members are approaching crime prevention through the use of technology and citizen involvement.
Abstract
Police equipment now includes the fingerprint wand and the night scope. The fingerprint wand costs $150. It enables police personnel to lift and process fingerprints at the crime scene rather than at the laboratory. The night scope enables police to see in almost total darkness without being seen by others. These devices cost $1,000 each and increase police safety by replacing flashlights. Another piece of equipment is a remote-controlled robot with a camera; it can deal with dangerous situations involving bomb threats and barricades. A student-organized crime prevention effort at one university focuses on preventing date rape. Student patrols at another university focus on the neighborhoods around the campus. Additional segments of the film focus on a Washington, D.C. program promoting ex-offender employment and a California program in which the children of inmate mothers come to live with them to reduce the cost of foster care and enable the women to learn parenting skills.