NCJ Number
152098
Journal
Journal of Security Administration Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: (October 1994) Pages: 53-74
Date Published
1994
Length
22 pages
Annotation
The public housing security program described in this article consists of five phases: feasibility, rule-making, undercover operations, shock, and maintenance.
Abstract
The program is used by several public housing authorities in Texas that have contracted with a private security firm to provide safety and security for their public housing sites. In the feasibility phase, trained crime analysts conduct interviews with housing directors, local law enforcement officials, residents, and community leaders to develop a profile of potential problem areas. Information obtained in this phase becomes the basis for crime prevention planning. In the rule- setting phase, information obtained from the feasibility phase and other sources is used to develop rules for residents. These rules allow the security force to maintain order and reduce the occurrence of situations conducive to criminal activity. The phase of undercover operations is conducted by trained security officers who work in conjunction with police. The aim of this phase is to identify those involved in criminal activity on the public housing sties and to collect enough information to secure arrest warrants. Following the undercover phase, the security shock team begins operation. The shock team officers identify and arrest the criminal element in a massive clean-up campaign. The maintenance phase involves the development of a program to ensure that the rules and regulations of the housing unit are enforced consistently over the long term. One housing authority that used this program saw the number of calls for police service drop from 170 to 50 over the 4 months before and the 4 months after the institution of the program. 1 table and 10 references