NCJ Number
97275
Date Published
1984
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article describes efforts by police forces in Japan, Singapore, and the United States to change standard operating procedures and improve crime control efforts through better community relations.
Abstract
Attention focuses on four elements that generally characterize successful efforts in community policing: (1) community crime prevention, (2) patrol deployment for nonemergency interaction with the community, (3) active solicitation by the police of requests for public service, and (4) police provision of opportunities for feedback from the community about police operations. The different forms that community crime prevention efforts may take are considered, and the prevalence of crime prevention organizations in Japan is noted. For example, every Japanese neighborhood has a crime prevention association, and there are 500,000 contact points between the police and the community. The extensive organization of an American community for crime prevention is highlighted: Detroit has organized 12,000 city blocks into crime prevention organizations over the last 8 years and has also established 52 minipolice stations in the inner city. Changes from motorized patrol to foot patrol in Newark, NJ; Houston, Tex; and in Singapore and Japan are described. Evidence is supplied to show that police need citizens' help in crime control efforts; for example, crimes are often solved by information supplied by the public. Finally, the key to successful community policing is shown to rest with the police themselves.