Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention (From Behavioral Approaches to Crime and Delinquency: A Handbook of Application, Research, and Concepts, P 225-249, 1987, Edward K Morris and Curtis J Braukmann, eds. -- See NCJ-111159)

• NCJ Number: 111167
• Author(s): J F Schnelle; E S Geller; M A Davis
• Date Published: 1987
• Length: 25 pages
• Sale Source: Plenum Press
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter (1) outlines how police departments can use behavioral methodology to gather data on the efficiency of crime management procedures and (2) describes joint efforts by community groups and police departments in developing crime prevention programs.

Abstract

The two major crime prevention efforts of most police departments are patrol and criminal investigation. Patrol strategies include automobile patrol, foot patrol, helicopter or fixed wing aircraft patrol, and directed patrol, a procedure that directs patrol units to specific locations during time periods of predicted criminal activity. The results of several studies indicate that there is a relationship between police visibility and crime reduction. However, police visibility must be raised to very high levels before there are crime prevention effects. Even so, the crime prevention effects are temporary, and the costs of maintaining a constant high visibility presence are prohibitive for most police departments. Studies also show that police are not very successful in carrying out their second crime prevention effort: criminal investigation. The author proposes the use of behavioral methodology to study, alter, and improve police behaviors related to investigation, information gathering, apprehension, and prosecution. One way to improve police functioning is to enlist citizens in crime prevention efforts. The study discusses major citizen crime prevention programs (CCP) in view of behavioral strategies. 57 references.