CRIME AROUND POLICE PRECINCT STATIONS IN MINNEAPOLIS (MN)

• NCJ Number: 52882
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 17 pages
• Grant Number(s): 76DF050005
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Minnesota Crime Prevention Ctr
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Minnesota Crime Prevention Ctr
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

AN EXAMINATION OF THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME AROUND POLICE PRECINCT STATIONS IN MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., FINDS THAT, IN GENERAL, THE PRESENCE OF THE STATION DOES LITTLE TO DETER CRIME.

Abstract

THIS STUDY ANALYZED THE DENSITY OF CRIME IMMEDIATELY SURROUNDING POLICE PRECINCT STATIONS (WITHIN 0.6 OF A MILE), THE DENSITY OF CRIME IN THE PRECINCT AS A WHOLE, AND CHANGES IN DENSITY AS DISTANCE FROM THE STATION INCREASES. DATA INCLUDED ALL BURGLARIES, ROBBERIES, AND ASSAULTS REPORTED JULY 1, 1974 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1975, PLUS A 25 PERCENT SAMPLE OF LARCENIES AND VANDALISMS AND A 20 PERCENT SAMPLE OF AUTO THEFTS. THE MAJOR PORTION OF THE REPORT CONSISTS OF TABLES, FIGURES, AND MAPS WHICH PRESENT THE FINDINGS GRAPHICALLY. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED THE FOLLOWING: (1) THERE IS NO CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE OF LESS CRIME IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF PRECINCT STATIONS COMPARED WITH THE PRECINCT AS A WHOLE, AND (2) THERE IS NO CONSISTENT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DISTANCE FROM THE STATION AND CRIME DENSITY. IN FACT, SEVERAL GRAPHS SHOW A DECLINE IN CRIME DENSITY AS DISTANCE FROM THE STATION INCREASES. THIS IS NOTED, BUT NO EXPLANATION IS FOUND. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE CLOSING OF A STATION WOULD NOT MATERIALLY AFFECT CRIME RATES IN AN AREA, BUT THAT THOROUGH STUDY SHOULD BE DONE BEFORE RECOMMENDING ANY SUCH CLOSING. (GLR)