This article presents the methodology and results of a research study that aimed to test whether Problem-Oriented Policing in crime hot-spots reduced property and violent crime rates, noting that the timing of the study may have influenced outcomes due to the study’s implementation during the time of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and George Floyd murder.
This study tests whether Problem-Oriented Policing (POP) in hot spots of crime reduces property and violent crime in three cities, comparing POP versus control hot spots. The authors also examined low-levels versus high-levels of POP versus control on crime separately for pre-, during- and post-intervention. This paper reports on a randomized controlled trial of POP replicated in three communities over one year using Poisson and negative binomial regression models. The authors did not find any significant intervention effect on violent crimes post intervention in any of the three sites but observed some unintended iatrogenic/negative effect of low-level treatment on property crimes in two sites. Due to difficulties experienced in implementing POP, the authors caution against concluding POP does not work. Instead, low-level POP implementation during the era of post COVID-19 and anti-policing sentiment post the George Floyd murder may not be effective in reducing property and violent crime. (Published Abstract Provided)