Eyres Monsell Crime Reduction Project

• NCJ Number: 158585
• Author(s): R Matthews; J Trickey
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 60 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Leicester
• Sale Source: University of Leicester
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This final report summarizes the findings from a research project that evaluated a crime reduction program, primarily targeted toward burglary, for the British housing development of Eyres Monsell.

Abstract

A crime reduction group was established, and this group directed and coordinated the crime reduction efforts. The crime reduction program at the Eyres Monsell estate used a combination of physical and social measures to counter burglary. Program elements included target hardening in the form of a lock-fitting scheme; the development of Neighborhood Watch programs; the creation of a multiagency group to coordinate and direct intervention; the implementation of social measures to reduce offending, particularly among juveniles; and the dissemination of information to residents through newsletters and meetings. The distinctiveness of the strategy was a focus on a reduction in repeat burglary victimization by decreasing the vulnerability of households that had been previously burglarized. The evaluation of the program involved a combination of quantitative and qualitative data designed to determine both the subjective and objective outcomes of the program. The primary source of information was a longitudinal panel survey conducted with a sample of residents on the estate. Police statistics provided information on burglaries before and after the program. The evaluation found that after 12 months, project outcomes have been positive, albeit not dramatic. The program has succeeded in keeping the burglary rate relatively stable while the burglary rates in surrounding areas have been increasing; however, the rapid increase in burglaries in the first 4 months of 1994 is alarming. The main achievements of the initiative have included the fitting of 415 security systems over a 17-month period, establishing seven new Neighborhood Watch programs, creating a school watch and passport program, and extending the range of positive youth activities on the estate. 29 tables, 7 figures, and 15 references