NCJ Number
102406
Date Published
1985
Length
242 pages
Annotation
This report describes and evaluates the Houston Police Department's Police Community Station Program, which established a 'storefront' police station in the Northline neighborhood to reduce the geographic and psychological distance between the police and citizens and thus reduce citizens' fear of crime.
Abstract
With sworn and nonsworn personnel, the station opened in November 1984 and began offering general assistance and information to citizens. Special programs offered by the station in the course of the year included monthly neighborhood meetings, fingerprinting of children, a park program, and a school truancy program. The evaluation measured citizens' attitudes and behaviors before and 10 months after the introduction of the program. Data were obtained by conducting interviews with random samples of about 5,000 residents and representatives of nonresidential establishments in both a program area and a comparison area that did not have the program. Survey questionnaires solicited such information as recalled program exposure, perceived social disorder, perceived neighborhood physical deterioration, and fear of personal victimization. The program had beneficial, statistically significant effects for the area as a whole and, to a lesser extent, for a panel of citizens in the program area. Appendixes detail some program components and evaluation methodology and data. Tabular data.