LARGO (FL) POLICE DEPARTMENT - CRIME PREVENTION UNIT EVALUATION REPORT

• NCJ Number: 63484
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 6 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-A1-13-AE02
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Pinellas County Metro Planning Unit
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN EVALUATION OF THE LEAA-FUNDED CRIME PREVENTION UNIT OF THE LARGO, FLORIDA, POLICE DEPARTMENT IS PRESENTED; BACKGROUND, GOALS, ANALYSIS, METHODOLOGY, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE INCLUDED.

Abstract

MAJOR GOALS OF THE EVALUATION WERE TO DETERMINE IF THE MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES HAD BEEN MET, IF THERE WERE ANY SIGNIFICANT INTERVENING VARIABLES DURING THE GRANT PERIOD TO AFFECT PROJECT OUTCOMES, AND IF THE FEEDBACK MECHANISM FOR CLIENT ASSESSMENT OF THE SERVICES HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED. THE EVALUATED PROJECT BEGAN IN 1975 WHEN THE LARGO POLICE DEPARTMENT INITIATED A CRIME PREVENTION EFFORT AIMED AT DETERMINING CRIME PRONE AREAS OF THE CITY. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS, SECURITY SURVEYS, CITIZEN EDUCATION, AND MASS MEDIA CAMPAIGNS WERE IMPLEMENTED. THE TOTAL PROJECT AWARD WAS FOR $37,915. TO DETERMINE IF MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES HAD BEEN MET, PROJECT RECORDS WERE EXAMINED, SECURITY SURVEYS WERE VERIFIED, AND STOLEN AND RECOVERED PROPERTY DATA WERE ANALYZED. THE FIRST SEVEN OBJECTIVES LISTED IN THE GRANT WERE EITHER MET OR SURPASSED. HOWEVER, THE EIGHTH OBJECTIVE-DECREASING STOLEN PROPERTY BY 5 PERCENT OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR--WAS NOT MET. REGARDING SIGNIFICANT INTERVENING VARIABLES, THE INCREASED NUMBER OF RESIDENTIAL DWELLINGS AND INCREASED POPULATION MAY HAVE HAD A NEGATIVE INFLUENCE ON THE PROJECT OUTCOME. TO DETERMINE IF FEEDBACK MECHANISMS WERE PROPERLY ESTABLISHED, FIVE SEPARATE QUESTIONNAIRES WERE DEVELOPED AND MAILED. THE RESPONSE RATE TO THE 2,094 QUESTIONNAIRES WAS 40 PERCENT. BOTH POLICE AND CITIZENS OF LARGO INDICATED ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROGRAM. IN ADDITION, THE CITY EXPERIENCED AN OVERALL DECREASE IN RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BURGLARIES OF 9.3 PERCENT DURING THE PERIOD EVALUATED. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT (A) A PROCEDURE BE DEVISED TO PROVIDE POLICE WITH A MEANS OF IDENTIFYING THE METHOD OF RECOVERY OF STOLEN PROPERTY, (B) THAT THE CRIME PREVENTION UNIT IDENTIFY AREAS WHICH REQUIRE CITY IMPROVEMENTS, FOR BLOCK GRANT PURPOSES, AND (C) THAT UNITS SHOULD CONTINUE WORKING WITH SENIOR CITIZENS AND WORKING PARENTS BY DEVELOPING PROGRAMS SPECIFIC TO THEIR NEEDS. (LWM)