NEIGHBORS AGAINST BURGLARY - A PATROL EMPHASIS PROGRAM BY SIMI VALLEY (CA) POLICE DEPARTMENT - FIRST YEAR EVALUATION - PROGRESS REPORT

• NCJ Number: 54204
• Author(s): R E IOIMO; M A DOYLE; M E LAYHEW
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 295 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76-DF-09-0053
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Simi Valley Police Dept
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PROGRAMS AND PROGRAM RESULTS ACCOMPLISHED BY A CRIME PREVENTION UNIT AND A CRIME ANALYSIS UNIT WHICH WERE DESIGNED TO DECREASE THE INCIDENCE OF BURGLARY AND INCREASE CONVICTION RATES OF BURGLARS ARE DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE PROJECT DESCRIBED WAS BEGUN BY THE SIMI VALLEY (CALIF.) POLICE DEPARTMENT IN OCTOBER 1976. A CRIME PREVENTION UNIT CONSISTING OF FOUR OFFICERS WAS ESTABLISHED AND ITS MEMBERS TRAINED TO WORK WITH RESIDENTS IN A TARGET AREA TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY. SEVERAL PROGRAMS WERE BEGUN BY THE UNIT IN ITS FIRST YEAR. 'OPERATION LIGHTS ON,' INVOLVED LENDING LIGHT TIMERS TO RESIDENTS SO THEIR HOUSE LIGHTS WOULD AUTOMATICALLY TURN ON AND OFF WHILE THEY WERE AWAY ON VACATION, THUS AVOIDING ATTRACTING A BURGLAR TO AN OBVIOUSLY EMPTY HOUSE. 'OPERATION IDENTIFICATION,' LOANS ENGRAVERS TO CITIZENS TO MARK THEIR PROPERTY FOR EASE OF IDENTIFICATIONS IN CASE OF RECOVERY SHOULD IT BE STOLEN. CITIZEN MEETINGS DISCUSSED PREVENTION MEASURES AND DISTRIBUTED PREVENTION LITERATURE. EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN THE TARGETED AREA WAS CONTACTED TO OFFER SECURITY CHECKS AND PROVIDE SUGGESTIONS ABOUT SECURITY. EACH VICTIM OF A RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY WAS CONTACTED TO OFFER SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO PREVENT ANOTHER BURGLARY. A CRIME ANALYSIS UNIT ALSO WAS ESTABLISHED AND SPECIALLY TRAINED TO DESIGN DEPARTMENTAL PROGRAMS AND PROVIDE SERVICES DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE APPREHENSION AND CONVICTION OF BURGLARY OFFENDERS. A CITIZEN ATTITUDE SURVEY, A DEPARTMENTAL ATTITUDE SURVEY, AND CRIME SPECIFIC DATA WERE USED AS EVALUATION INSTRUMENTS. CRIME STATISTICS SHOWED A REDUCTION OF 18.6 PERCENT IN BURGLARIES IN THE TARGETED AREA FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND BURGLARY CONVICTIONS INCREASED BY 48 PERCENT, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOTED THAT THE SAMPLE SIZE WAS SMALL. ATTITUDES TOWARD THE POLICE BY CITIZENS IN THE TARGET AREA SHOWED SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT, AS NOTED IN PRETEST AND POSTTEST SURVEYS; DEPARTMENTAL PERSONNEL WERE SHOWN TO BE HIGHLY FAVORABLE TOWARD THE PROGRAM INSTITUTED. DATA DERIVED FROM THE EVALUATION AND SAMPLES OF THE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRES AND FORMS USED IN THE VARIOUS PROGRAMS ARE PROVIDED.