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Community Crime Prevention: Addressing Background and Foreground Causes of Criminal Behavior

NCJ Number
174488
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 25 Issue: 1 Dated: 1997 Pages: 1-18
Author(s)
C M Ward
Date Published
1997
Length
18 pages
Annotation
A case study of the Hyde Park neighborhood in St. Louis indicated that community members in partnership with city and other outside entities are implementing a comprehensive crime prevention approach that addresses both background (social malaise) and foreground (opportunity) causes of crime.
Abstract
This inner-city neighborhood was compared with a contiguous neighborhood to determine the impacts of this community crime prevention program on the incidence of specific crimes. The Friedens Haus (house of peace) coalition of school, church, private and social service agency, and community, and community provided educational, social, and health services to the Hyde Park neighborhood. Another organization, the Hyde Park Safety Committee, which has a mobile patrol component, implemented deterrent measures regarding opportunity for criminal behavior. The research focused on robbery, aggravated assault, and burglary and used trend analysis and t-tests to determine the program's impact over 6 years. Results strongly suggested that the Hyde Park Mobile Patrol component of the comprehensive community crime prevention program had a curtailing effect on robbery. Figures, tables, and 31 references (Author abstract modified)