NCJ Number
92112
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 11 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1983) Pages: 463-473
Date Published
1983
Length
11 pages
Annotation
An evaluation of an experimental newsletter listing reported crimes published by the Evanston, Ill. police as part of a community crime prevention program concluded that the newsletter responded effectively to citizens' desire for information, but did not increase fear of crime.
Abstract
Citizens must be aware of specific local crime information before they will respond to the community-focused preventive approach to crime control now advocated by criminal justice administrators. After a telephone survey indicated residents wanted more contacts with police, the Evanston police and a consortium of local citizens' organizations decided to develop a crime prevention newsletter called ALERT (Action, Lookout, Evanston Residents Together). Approximately 1,500 copies each of 2 versions of the monthly newsletter were disseminated for 3 months in 1982: one contained a list of most Index offenses reported to the police during the previous month while the other did not include these data. An evaluation was based on survey responses from 62 persons who received the newsletter with the crime statistics, 84 persons who received the other version, and 322 persons who did not receive any newsletter. While residents' perceptions about the amount and severity of crime in their neighborhoods were greater for those who read the newsletter, regardless of the version, their fear of crime was not significantly greater than those residents not exposed to the newsletter. The newsletter increased perceptions about the amount of crime in one's neighborhood, especially among residents receiving the versions listing reported crimes. Residents who got the newsletter, particularly those with crime statistics, were most likely to report taking various proactive prevention measures. A telephone survey of newsletter recipients showed that 80 percent wanted to continue receiving it. Individuals who got the crime listing version found it significantly more informative and interesting than those who saw the other version. Tables and 29 references are included.