NCJ Number
52176
Date Published
1978
Length
81 pages
Annotation
EVALUATION RESULTS ARE REPORTED ON A PROJECT TO REDUCE CRIME, PARTICULARLY PERSON TO PERSON AND JUVENILE CRIMES, THROUGH A COORDINATED POLICE EFFORT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENTS OF THREE PENNSYLVANIA CITIES.
Abstract
THE TRICITY IMPACT PROGRAM IS A JOINT EFFORT LAUNCHED IN OCTOBER 1974 BY ARNOLD, LOWER BURRELL, AND NEW KINSINGTON, PA., TO ACHIEVE A MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE RESPONSE TO EACH COMMUNITY'S RESPECTIVE CRIME PROBLEMS. IT IS AN EFFORT TO REDUCE AND CLEAR CRIME THROUGH THE FOLLOWING MEANS: THE COORDINATED USE OF ADDITIONAL DETECTIVES AND JUVENILE OFFICERS; THE USE OF HIGH INTENSITY LIGHTING; MORE INTENSIVE POLICE PATROL; AND THE POOLING AND COORDINATION OF POLICE RESOURCES, INCLUDING THE CENTRALIZATION OF RECORDS. QUANTITATIVE MEASURES OF THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM INCLUDED EXAMINATIONS OF THE CRIME RATE AND POLICE RESPONSE TIMES. SUBJECTIVE MEASURES OF PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENT INCLUDED FIELD VISITS AND OBSERVATIONS BY CONSULTANT PERSONNEL, INTERVIEWS WITH POLICE PERSONNEL IN THE THREE CITIES, AND QUESTIONNAIRES TO BE COMPLETED BY THE PERSONNEL AND BUSINESS PEOPLE IN THE IMPACT AREA. WHILE THE QUANTITATIVE RESULTS OF THE PROJECT DO NOT INDICATE A DRAMATIC DECREASE IN REPORTED CRIME, THE PROGRAM HAS NOT BEEN FUNCTIONING LONG ENOUGH TO EXPECT MAJOR CHANGES IN THE CRIME STATISTICS. THE INTENSITY OF INVESTIGATION OF MAJOR SERIOUS CRIMES HAS INCREASED, AND CLEARANCE RATES HAVE IMPROVED. COORDINATION AND COOPERATION IN THE MANAGEMENT OF POLICE RESOURCES BETWEEN THE THREE CITIES HAS IMPROVED ALSO. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PROJECT BE CONTINUED FOR ANOTHER YEAR. ACTIVITIES AND IMPROVEMENTS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR THE SECOND YEAR'S OPERATION. DATA FROM THE STUDY AND A SAMPLE OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE INCLUDED. (RCB)