CITIZEN PATROL PROJECTS - NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM PHASE 1 SUMMARY REPORT

• NCJ Number: 36435
• Author(s): R K YIN; M E VOGEL; J M CHAIKEN; D R BOTH
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 45 pages
• Grant Number(s): 75-NI-99-0105
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO; National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: NATIONAL EVALUATION PROGRAM

Annotation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF A STUDY (NCJ-34856) THAT IDENTIFIES AND ASSESSES THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION REGARDING CITIZEN PATROLS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS.

Abstract

THIS VOLUME SUMMARIZES THE POLICY ISSUES, ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABLE EVIDENCE, AND THE RESEARCH METHODS AND FIELD PROCEDURES THAT GUIDED THE STUDY. TOPICS COVERED INCLUDE A FRAMEWORK FOR ASSESSING PATROL ACTIVITIES, METHODS FOR GATHERING EVIDENCE ABOUT PATROLS, AND THE PATROL EXPERIENCE. THE STUDY REVEALED THAT CONTEMPORARY RESIDENT PATROLS SHARE A GENERAL EMPHASIS ON RESIDENTIAL CRIME PREVENTION, THAT THERE APPEAR TO BE NUMEROUS PATROLS AROUND THE COUNTRY (ABOUT 800 OF THEM) IN NEIGHBORHOODS OF VARIED INCOME AND RACIAL COMPOSITION, AND THAT CONTEMPORARY PATROLS VARY WIDELY IN COST, ALTHOUGH MOST ARE OPERATED ON A SMALL BUDGET AND ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS. FOUR TYPES OF PATROLS ARE IDENTIFIED: BUILDING PATROLS, COMMUNITY PROTECTION PATROLS, NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLS, AND SOCIAL SERVICE PATROLS. FINDINGS OF THE STUDY DISCLOSE THAT BUILDING PATROLS SEEM TO BE EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING CRIME BUT THAT CONTEMPORARY RESIDENT PATROLS ARE OCCASIONALLY SUBJECT TO VIGILANTISM. NEIGHBORHOOD PATROLS APPEAR TO BE MORE SO INCLINED THAN BUILDING PATROLS. ALSO, SEVERAL IMPLEMENTATION FACTORS SUCH AS PERSONNEL, ORGANIZATIONAL AFFILIATION, AND BUREAUCRATIZATION INFLUENCE A PATROL'S ABILITY TO OPERATE AND ACHIEVE ITS GOALS. (SNI ABSTRACT)