PATROLLING THE NEIGHBORHOOD BEAT - RESIDENTS AND RESIDENTIAL SECURITY - EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

• NCJ Number: 46729
• Author(s): R K YIN; M E VOGEL; J M CHAIKEN; D R BOTH
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 49 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-NI-99-0105
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Corporate Author: Rand Corporation
• Sale Source: Rand Corporation; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM

Annotation

A STUDY OF OVER 200 RESIDENTIAL SECURITY PATROLS IN 16 URBAN AREAS IS PRESENTED THAT SUGGESTED A TYPOLOGY OF PATROLS AND DOCUMENTED A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION.

Abstract

SUCH RESIDENTIAL PATROLS INVOLVE SITUATIONS IN WHICH RESIDENTS THEMSELVES PATROL OR HIRE GUARDS TO PATROL A RESIDENTIAL AREA, MAINTAINING SOME SURVEILLANCE ROUTINE TO THE EXCLUSION OF OTHER OCCUPATIONAL ACTIVITIES. NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLS COVER NEIGHBORHOOD SECTIONS, WITH MEMBERS DRIVING CARS AND MAINTAINING CONTACT THROUGH CITIZEN BAND RADIOS. BUILDING PATROLS COVER SPECIFIC BUILDINGS OR PROJECTS, WITH MEMBERS STATIONED AT A BUILDING ENTRANCE AND MONITORING PASSAGE BY STRANGERS INTO AND OUT OF THE BUILDING. A VARIATION IS THE SOCIAL SERVICE PATROL WHICH IS A SERVICE LIKE AN AMBULANCE SERVICE. COMMUNITY PROTECTION PATROLS MONITOR POLICE ACTIVITIES AS WELL AS THOSE OF POTENTIAL CRIMINALS. THE METHODS OF SITE SELECTION, DATA COLLECTION, AND ANALYSIS IS REVIEWED. BOTH THE FIELD INTERVIEWS AND LITERATURE REVIEW ON PATROLS REVEALED THAT PATROL ACTIVITIES ARE DIFFICULT TO DOCUMENT AND HAVE NOT UNDERGONE FORMAL EVALUATION. NEVERTHELESS, THE PRELIMINARY EVIDENCE SUGGESTED THAT RESIDENT PATROLS CAN SERVE AS A POTENTIALLY EFFECTIVE DETERRENT TO RESIDENTIAL CRIME, REQUIRE SMALL AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO OPERATE, AND GENERALLY ENJOY GOOD SUPPORT FROM LOCAL POLICE AND OTHER RESIDENTS. ALMOST ALL OF THESE PATROLS WERE ORIENTED TO REDUCING NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME, RATHER THAN, AS IN THE PAST, TOWARD DEALING WITH CIVIL DISORDERS. ALTHOUGH PATROL MEMBERS, PARTICULARLY IN NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLS, OCCASIONALLY TOOK TO HARASSING TEENAGERS AND OTHER DYSFUNCTIONAL BEHAVIOR (ESPECIALLY IN PERIODS OF BOREDOM), LITTLE EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT CONTEMPORARY PATROLS ENGAGE IN MUCH VIGILANTE-LIKE BEHAVIOR. FURTHER RESEARCH IS RECOMMENDED, BOTH EVALUATIVE AND NONEVALUATIVE, REGARDING THE PATROLS, AS, FOR INSTANCE, ON THE LEGAL STATUS OF PATROL MEMBERS AND THEIR LEGAL LIABILITIES FOR CAUSING HARM OR INCONVENIENCE TO OTHER CITIZENS. NO FIRM CONCLUSION IS REACHED WITH RESPECT TO RECOMMENDING LEAA OR OTHER FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR PATROLS (WHICH WERE GENERALLY NOT SUPPORTED BY PUBLIC FUNDS), BUT IF SUCH SUPPORT IS BEGUN, THE STUDY SUGGESTS SEVERAL WAYS IN WHICH THE SUPPORT MIGHT BE EFFECTIVELY PROVIDED. TABULAR DATA AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--DJM)