NCJ Number
66601
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 8 Issue: 1 Dated: (MARCH 1980) Pages: 69-74
Date Published
1980
Length
6 pages
Annotation
SURVEYS WERE CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE IF NEIGHBORHOOD INVOLVEMENT IN A CITIZENS CRIME REPORTING PROJECT (CCRP) IN A HIGH CRIME AREA WOULD SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE BOTH CRIME AND THE PERCEIVED DANGER OF BEING A VICTIM.
Abstract
AS PART OF A LARGER STUDY FOCUSING ON QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENTS OF PROGRAM PERFORMANCE, A COLUMBUS, OHIO, CCRP PROJECT DIFFERED FROM SIMILAR PROGRAMS IN MANY RESPECTS. CITIZEN PATROLLERS WERE PAID MINIMUM WAGES FOR UP TO 20 HOURS PER WEEK, AND WERE GIVEN FORMAL POLICE TRAINING. PATROLLERS WERE IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH THE CCRP COORDINATOR, AND ENFORCED RULES AND GUIDELINES WERE LAID DOWN. PROJECT EFFECTIVENESS WAS MEASURED BY CRIME REDUCTION IN THE PROJECT AREA AND IN THE CONTIGUOUS AREAS AND BY POLICE AND COMMUNITY ATTITUDES REGARDING THE PROJECT'S EFFECTIVENESS. ANALYSIS OF CRIME DATA PROVIDED STRONG EVIDENCE THAT THE CCRP WAS CONTRIBUTING TO A REDUCTION IN THE CRIMES OF BURGLARY AND AUTO THEFT WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA BETWEEN THE YEARS ENDING IN JULY 1977 AND JULY 1978. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO CLEAR EVIDENCE THAT THE CCRP DISPLACED CRIME FROM ITS AREA TO SURROUNDING AREAS. A SURVEY OF CITIZEN ATTITUDES SHOWED THAT INITIALLY STRONG CITIZEN SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT INCREASED BY THE END OF THE FIRST YEAR TO AN OVERWHELMING LEVEL OF SUPPORT. THE INITIALLY NEGATIVE POLICE ATTITUDES DRAMATICALLY SHIFTED, WITH A CLEAR MAJORITY COMING TO BELIEVE THAT THE CCRP COULD BE HELPFUL IN REDUCING CRIME. PROJECT RESULTS SUGGEST THAT A CCRP HAS CERTAIN EMPIRICALLY SUPPORTED ADVANTAGES. HOWEVER, WHETHER IT IS TRANSFERABLE TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS WITH A DISSIMILAR POPULATION COMPOSITION, DENSITY, OR RESIDENTIAL STABILITY REMAINS AN ISSUE FOR FURTHER RESEARCH. FOOTNOTES AND TABLES ARE PROVIDED. (DEG)