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HOME ALERT - CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH POLICE-CITIZEN COOPERATION

NCJ Number
37020
Journal
CRIME PREVENTION REVIEW Volume: 1 Issue: 4 Dated: (JULY 1974) Pages: 18-24
Author(s)
G T HART
Date Published
1974
Length
7 pages
Annotation
THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES THE DEVELOPMENT, BACKGROUND, AND PROGRAMS OF THE OAKLAND (CA) POLICE-COMMUNITY COOPERATION PROJECT, WHICH SOUGHT TO REDUCE CRIME THROUGH INCREASING CITIZEN AWARENESS AND CITIZEN CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS.
Abstract
THE POLICE-COMMUNITY COOPERATION PROJECT WAS BASED LARGELY ON THE CONCEPT OF TWO EARLIER CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS - OPERATION CRIME STOP AND HOME ALERT PROJECTS. THE FIRST OF THESE EARLIER EFFORTS INVOLVED EXTENSIVE POLICE PUBLIC EDUCATION EFFORTS ON THE NATURE OF CRIME AND CRIME PREVENTION TECHNIQUES, WHILE THE SECOND INVOLVED THE FORMULATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS TO OBSERVE AND PROTECT THE COMMUNITY. BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THESE TWO PROGRAMS, IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE NEW POLICE-COMMUNITY COOPERATION PROJECT SHOULD INCORPORATE THE FOLLOWING ELEMENTS: A PERMANANT STAFF, A STRUCTURE FOR ACCOMODATING AND SUPPORTING CITIZEN CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, AND A PROGRAM FOR DISSEMINIATING CRIME PREVENTION LITERATURE AND VISUAL AIDS. THE FINAL FORM OF THE POLICE-COMMUNITY COOPERATION PROJECT PROVIDED FOR EACH OF THESE ELEMENTS, AND ALSO UTILZED THE HOME ALERT NEIGHBORHOOD CONCEPT. PROGRAM EVALUATIONS HAVE SHOWN A CONSIDERABLE PROGRAM IMPACT IN SLOWING THE CRIME INCREASES IN OAKLAND.