Detecting Crack Houses: Citizen Hotline vs. Police Observation

• NCJ Number: 171953
• Author(s): L W Sherman; A E Beatty; D P Rogan
• Date Published: 1997
• Length: 15 pages
• Grant Number(s): 90-IJ-CX-K002; 91-DD-CX-K015; 92-IJ-CX-K035
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Survey

Annotation

In 1990, the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department launched a 24-hour drug hotline number to identify illegal drug dealing locations; citizens with information about the location of drug dealing were invited to call that number, with their anonymity protected.

Abstract

Between August and October 1990, 90 percent of 948 calls made to the drug hotline concerned addresses located in just three of the five patrol divisions in Kansas City. About 95 percent of locations reported by citizens were not known to the police, and 84 percent of locations identified by police patrols were not reported by citizens to the hotline. Locations identified by both citizens and police officers were far more violent and troublesome than locations identified by one group alone. Locations identified by either group were more violent and troublesome than city blocks not identified by either group. 4 figures