NCJ Number
18515
Date Published
1974
Length
60 pages
Annotation
ALTHOUGH NOT ENTIRELY SUCCESSFUL IN MEETING ITS GOALS, THE ANTI-ROBBERY/BURGLARY PROJECT (ARB) DID PROVE ITSELF EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING THESE CRIMES THROUGH EMPLOYMENT OF STAKE-OUT AND DECOY SQUADS.
Abstract
THE PRESENT EVALUATION WAS MADE BASICALLY AS A STUDY OF CONDITIONS BEFORE AND AFTER PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION. THE PROJECT WAS ABLE TO SUSTAIN A LEVEL OF OPERATIONS IN EXCESS OF 250 STAKE-OUT OR DECOY SQUADS PER MONTH. ALTHOUGH THE GOAL OF A 30 PERCENT REDUCTION IN ROBBERIES AND A 10 PERCENT REDUCTION IN BURGLARIES WAS NOT MET THERE WAS A SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN THE RATE OF INCREASE IN ROBBERIES; ARB WAS LESS EFFECTIVE IN COUNTERING THE TREND IN THE INCREASE OF BURGLARIES. THE GOAL OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF ON-SITE APPREHENSIONS BY 5 PERCENT WAS MET, ACCOMPANIED BY A CONVICTION RATE OF 84 PERCENT, SLIGHTLY LESS THAN THE OBJECTIVE OF 90 PERCENT. A THIRD MAJOR OBJECTIVE, IDENTIFYING THE TOP 10 FENCES IN ATLANTA, WAS ALSO ACHIEVED. THIS REPORT ANALYZES THESE STATISTICAL RESULTS AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS FOR SPECIFIC CRIME REDUCTIONS BY THE METHODS EMPLOYED. EVEN THOUGH ARB MET WITH GENERAL PUBLIC APPROVAL, THE ATLANTA EXPERIENCE SUGGESTS THAT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF CONTROVERSY SHOULD BE ANTICIPATED WHEN CONSIDERING REPLICATION OF THE PROJECT. SUCH CONTROVERSY COULD BE NEARLY ELIMINATED BY CLOSE SUPERVISION AND INTENSIVE TRAINING EMPHASIZING APPREHENSIONS WITHOUT VIOLENT USE OF FIREARMS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)