Weed and Seed Local Evaluation Meta Analysis (March 2004)

• NCJ Number: 221746
• Author(s): Matthew Perkins; Jim Zepp
• Date Published: March 2004
• Length: 56 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2003-WS-QX-0702
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice, Executive Office for Weed and Seed
• Corporate Author: Justice Research and Statistics Association
• Sale Source: Justice Research and Statistics Association; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: Downloaded February 27, 2008

Annotation

This meta-analysis of local Weed and Seed programs--which have focused crime intervention and prevention efforts on some of the Nation’s most crime-ridden communities--reviews and summarizes 34 separate assessments of local Weed and Seed sites/activities, studies from 24 States, and multiple studies over time for 4 jurisdictions.

Abstract

The studies reviewed were published in 1997 (n=5), 1998 (n=1), 1999 (n=13), 2000 (n=8), 2001 (n=1), 2002 (n=4), and 2003 (n=2). All of the studies have focused on determining the effect of Weed and Seed efforts on local communities. The evaluations found significant improvements in community crime conditions, and residents’ attitudes were positive regarding the changes that have occurred in the target areas. Also, increased interagency coordination and cooperation have occurred through organizing efforts under the Weed-and-Seed strategy. Because local sites are addressing a broad range of crimes and issues related to social, education, housing, and economic conditions, their progress can be influenced by many organizational development concerns, institutional barriers, and funding limits. Several studies have noted instances in which such difficulties may have prevented or delayed full implementation of planned strategies. In facing these challenges, local sites have often achieved substantial progress toward some objectives while making inroads in more difficult, complex areas. Specific achievements include overall decreases in calls for service, reported crime, and arrests in the target areas, with no evidence of displacement to nearby neighborhoods; statistically significant increases have occurred in citizens’ positive perceptions of their neighborhoods, police responsiveness, community involvement, and city services. Declines in violent crime and property crime in target areas have been greater than those experienced in the city as a whole. Other achievements include a reduction in absenteeism among targeted groups of chronic school truants and the development of conflict-resolution strategies in response to peer conflicts. Summaries of individual evaluations are provided for 34 cities.