NCJ Number
102690
Date Published
1985
Length
234 pages
Annotation
This report describes and presents evaluation methodology and results for a Houston, Tex., program designed to reduce citizens' fear of crime, diminish their perceptions of local problems, and increase their satisfaction with their neighborhood and with the police.
Abstract
The program, which was begun in 1983, included a police neighborhood survey, neighborhood meetings with police, a police crime prevention newsletter, a neighborhood task force that met monthly with the district police captain, and task force activities. A total of 228 residents in 1 of the 5 program neighborhoods were interviewed before and 10 months after program implementation to determine their attitudes toward their neighborhood, crime, and police. A total of 183 residents in a matched control neighborhood were similarly surveyed before and after the program period. A pooled cross-sectional regression analysis was used to analyze the data. Although the program did not reduce citizens' fear of crime, it did diminish their perceptions of disorderly behavior in the neighborhood and increase their ratings for police service compared to control-area residents. About one-half of the program respondents were significantly less likely to view personal and property crime as serious problems in their neighborhood compared to control respondents. Tabular data, newsletter sample, and 16 references.