NCJ Number
65711
Date Published
1980
Length
180 pages
Annotation
THE PERFORMANCE OF A CONSORTIUM OF COMMUNITY ANTICRIME PROGRAMS IN SAN DIEGO IS EVALUATED FOR SEPTEMBER 1978 THROUGH SEPTEMBER 1979.
Abstract
THE EVALUATION COVERED ALPHA PROJECT, ESCONDIDO YOUTH ENCOUNTER, HARMONIUM, SAN DIEGO YOUTH SERVICES, SOCIAL ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH, AND THE COMMUNITY CONGRESS OF SAN DIEGO. THESE PROGRAMS MOTIVATED LOCAL CITIZENS TO JOIN TOGETHER IN COMMUNITY-WIDE ACTIVITIES TO REDUCE CRIME AND THE FEAR OF CRIME BY ORGANIZING NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH GROUPS, YOUTH PLANNING COUNCILS, A CITIZEN-POLICE FAMILY SERVICES PROTECTIVE TEAM, AND BICYCLE AND PROPERTY IDENTIFICATION PROGRAMS. THE EVALUATION AIMED TO FIND OUT THE TYPES AND EXTENT OF ACTIVITIES IMPLEMENTED BY EACH OF THE PROJECT SITES, THE REACTIONS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO THEIR PROJECT INVOLVEMENT, AND CHANGES IN OVERALL CONDITIONS THAT OCCURRED IN TARGET NEIGHBORHOODS. DATA WERE GATHERED THROUGH MONTHLY PROJECT SELF-ASSESSMENT AND PERFORMANCE REPORTS, NEIGHBORHOOD PARTICIPANT SURVEYS DURING AND AFTER PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, AND SOCIAL PLANNING DATA, PARTICULARLY REPORTED CRIME DATA. RESULTS SHOWED THAT (1) BLOCK-WATCH PROGRAMS LED TO REDUCTIONS IN THEFT AND IN VANDALISM, (2) LOW BUDGET PROJECTS WITH SMALL STAFFS CAN EFFECTIVELY INVOLVE SUBSTANTIAL NUMBERS OF CITIZENS TO ACT ON THEIR OWN BEHALF, (3) COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE REGULAR COMMUNICATION AMONG NEIGHBORS, (4) RESIDENTS INVOLVED IN NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITIES VIEW THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AS SLIGHTLY SAFER, AND (5) RESIDENTS WHO HAVE HELPED DESIGN PROGRAMS ARE EAGER TO PARTICIPATE IN THEM. THE EVALUATION RECOMMENDS THAT LEAA ALLOW A 3 MONTH STARTUP PERIOD FOR NEW PROJECTS AND PROVIDE FLEXIBILITY FOR PROGRAM MODIFICATIONS. OTHER FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ARE PROVIDED. PROJECT OVERVIEWS, CHARTS, TABLES, AND APPENDIXES OF SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL ARE INCLUDED.