NCJ Number
161637
Date Published
1996
Length
461 pages
Annotation
Over the past 15 years, police agencies have adopted new service delivery strategies referred to by such names as community policing, community-oriented policing, problem-oriented policing, neighborhood-oriented policing, and problem-solving policing.
Abstract
Police agencies have attempted new strategies to reform and improve the effectiveness, efficiency, and equity of their organizations. At the same time, police agencies recognize that police reform efforts are affected by local politics, economics, traditions, and other factors. Experiences of police agencies in reforming their organizations are detailed, and recent developments in policing are examined through case studies of recent police reform efforts. The authors trace the evolution of policing, with emphasis on police problem-solving in minority communities. They also explore changing demographics in the United States, effects of elderly victimization, community deterioration, violence, punishment as a deterrent to crime, fear of crime, and police liability. In addition, the authors consider the concept of community-oriented government, principles of community policing and problem-oriented policing, differences between traditional and community policing styles, the police culture, police management, training police officers in community policing techniques, and police-minority relations. They also deal with specific crime problems, such as drug abuse, gangs, special populations, domestic violence, and prostitution, and evaluate the effectiveness of community policing in the United States and abroad. Appendixes contain problem-solving case studies, a community policing implementation profile, and an example of a community survey. Notes, figures, and photographs