NCJ Number
150915
Date Published
1992
Length
177 pages
Annotation
Representatives from Federal, State, and local law enforcement and legislatures, as well as citizen organizations, testify about ways in which police and neighborhoods can cooperate to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods.
Abstract
Witnesses include the congresswoman from central Los Angeles, a panel of U.S. Justice Department officials, local law enforcement officials, and representatives of the citizen groups of the Guardian Angels and the National Association of Town Watch. The central theme of all the witnesses is the importance of structured and regular cooperation between the police and community leaders and residents. Community policing is the philosophy and organizational focus favored by the witnesses. Some policing features discussed are decentralized policing that makes the police more accessible to citizens, the use of the same officers to patrol and work with neighborhoods over an extended period, and the development of proactive and preventive police-community programs. One of the federally sponsored programs discussed is the Weed and Seed strategy. Under this program, police "weed" out the most violent habitual offenders in targeted high-crime neighborhoods. This is done through close cooperation between citizens and police to identify problem areas and particular criminals. This "seeding" effort involved the coordination of Federal, State, and local human service agencies, the private sector, and the community to provide an array of human services to targeted neighborhoods. Efforts include drug and crime prevention programs, educational programs, drug treatment, family services, and recreational activities.