NCJ Number
144533
Date Published
1993
Length
149 pages
Annotation
The impact and cost-effectiveness of the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Media Campaign's activities in producing and disseminating public service announcements were evaluated using national probability sample surveys during the spring of 1991.
Abstract
The campaign has been produced since 1979 under the auspices of the Advertising Council, with the National Crime Prevention Council serving as its formal sponsor. The evaluation surveys gathered information from citizens, crime prevention practitioners, and media managers by means of nearly 1,800 interviews in 100 communities. Results revealed that a substantial majority of the public, the media, and the law enforcement community has accepted McGruff, Take a Bite Out of Crime, and the message themes tied to the campaign as positive symbols of crime prevention. These symbols have also become associated with drug abuse prevention, although to a lesser extent. The findings reveal no indications of decreases over the years in public attention or involvement with the campaign messages; on the contrary, the campaign appears to have continued to gain in popularity and impact over the past decade. Findings also indicate that such a media campaign can be a productive approach for influencing public understanding and behavior in the prevention and control of crime and drug abuse. Findings support other research indicating the influence of public information campaigns in areas such as health and environmental safety. Recommendations, appended tables, and 79 references