SAFE STREETS EVALUATION REPORT 1976-1977

• NCJ Number: 44851
• Author(s): M IUTCOVICH; J IUTCOVICH
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 203 pages
• Corporate Author: Northwest Institute for Research
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, SAFE STREETS IMPACT PROGRAM IN REDUCING CRIME WITHIN SPECIFIED AREAS IS ASSESSED THROUGH VICTIM SURVEYS AND ANALYSIS OF CHANGING RATES OF VICTIMIZATION.

Abstract

THE PROGRAM WAS INITIATED IN 1973 AND CONCLUDED IN 1977. TRENDS IN THE RATE OF VICTIMIZATION IN THE CITY WERE ANALYZED EACH YEAR OF THE PROGRAM'S OPERATION, FROM PHASE 2 (1973-1974) TO PHASE 5 (1976-1977). HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES IN FOUR ZONES OF THE CITY WERE SAMPLED IN VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS. DATA FROM THE PHASE 5 SURVEY ARE PRESENTED AND ANALYZED SEPARATELY FOR HOUSEHOLDS AND BUSINESSES AND FOR EACH TYPE OF CRIME (BURGLARY, ROBBERY, ASSAULT AND BATTERY, AND LARCENY). THE DATA ARE THEN ANALYZED TO FIND THE EXTENT TO WHICH A TYPE OF CRIME IS LIKELY TO OCCUR AT A PARTICULAR TIME OF DAY OR MONTH OF THE YEAR. KNOWLEDGE OF THIS TYPE OF PATTERN IS USEFUL FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES IN PLANNING THE DISTRIBUTION OF MANPOWER AND OTHER RESOURCES. RESULTS OF THE VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS ARE ANALYZED, CONTROLLING FOR SUCH VARIABLES AS MONTH, TIME OF DAY, ZONE, WEALTH OF RESPONDENT, RACE, AND STREET (FOR HOUSEHOLDS); AND MONTH, TIME OF DAY, RACE OF OWNER, TYPE OF BUSINESS, ZONE, AND STREET (FOR BUSINESSES). GRAPHS SHOWING THE TRENDS IN VICTIMIZATION RATES OVER THE 4-YEAR PERIOD ARE PRESENTED. IN PHASE 2 THROUGH PHASE 4, THERE WAS A TREND TOWARD A DECREASING RATE OF VICTIMIZATION; AN INCREASE WAS FOUND FROM PHASE 4 TO PHASE 5. HOWEVER, BETWEEN PHASE 2 AND PHASE 5, DATA SHOWED AN OVERALL SLIGHT DECREASE IN VICTIMIZATION RATE. A COMMUNITY ATTITUDE SURVEY WAS ADMINISTERED TO ERIE RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS. QUESTIONS WERE CONCERNED WITH PERCEPTIONS OF THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME; FEAR OF CRIME; AND PERCEPTIONS OF POLICE PATROLS. RESULTS OF THE EVALUATION SHOWED A SUCCESSFUL PROGRAM, ALTHOUGH IMPROVEMENTS WERE SMALL, AND THAT THE GENERAL PUBLIC SUPPORTED THE EFFORT. APPENDIXES PROVIDE COPIES OF THE HOUSEHOLD AND BUSINESS QUESTIONNAIRES AND EXTENSIVE DATA CONCERNING HOUSEHOLD AND BUSINESS VICTIMIZATION AND ATTITUDES. (VDA)