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Working as Partners With Community Groups

NCJ Number
148458
Date Published
1994
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Partnerships between law enforcement and community members and groups can be an effective mechanism for reducing crime, reducing the fear of crime, and developing a stronger sense of community cohesion.
Abstract
Partnerships entered into by police and home or school organizations, neighborhood associations, tenants' groups, social and veterans' groups, community service clubs, and religious affiliated groups, can address immediate crime- related problems, build a base for dealing with future problems, gain new resources, and increase the community's social and economic health. This bulletin recommends ways to work with diverse groups and overcome obstacles to cooperation. The lessons learned in community partnerships include acknowledging the reality of fear, agreeing on a strategy to address the problems, securing broad-based participant, training members of the partnership, securing resources, implementing the strategies in a sound environment, evaluating the results, and celebrating successes.