NCJ Number
175820
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 46 Issue: 6 Dated: June 1998 Pages: 102-105
Date Published
1998
Length
4 pages
Annotation
Because burglary, theft, and larceny are common forms of property crime in many communities and are difficult to prevent and because such crimes are labor-intensive to investigate, community involvement is suggested as a way to reinforce police crime prevention efforts.
Abstract
Police property crime prevention tactics include avoidance, public education, directed patrol, saturation, high visibility, and aggressive patrol. Community involvement can also help police officers prevent property crimes. Although police officers often ask citizens to report crimes in progress that can lead to apprehensions, a technique that is seldom employed by police officers involves the reporting of persons attempting to sell suspected stolen property in the community. Using community policing and problem-oriented policing strategies, police officers can encourage community residents to become involved in preventing the sale of stolen property, thus reducing the demand for and ease of converting stolen goods. Reducing the sale of stolen property should also reduce fear of crime in the community. 1 photograph