DETROIT MINI-STATION PROGRAM - AN EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 47554
• Journal: Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 6 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1978) Pages: 232-240
• Author(s): L G TORNATZKY; J M WISENBAKER; R L GREEN; G W LOGAN; H P PACHON; J H SCHWEITZER; T W TENBRUNSEL
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 9 pages
• Corporate Author: International Assoc of Chiefs of Police
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A COMMUNITY-BASED POLICING INNOVATION IS EVALUATED REGARDING ITS IMPACT ON CRIME, EFFECT ON CITIZEN ATTITUDES, AND GENERAL INFLUENCE ON THE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT.

Abstract

THE FIRST MINISTATIONS WERE ESTABLISHED IN APRIL OF 1974 WITH THE INTENTION OF DECENTRALIZING POLICE OPERATIONS AND DEVELOPING ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES CONSISTENT WITH THE IDIOSYNCRACIES OF PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS. EACH OF THE STATIONS WAS STAFFED ON A 24-HOUR BASIS, USUALLY BY AT LEAST 2 OFFICERS AND OFTEN BY VOLUNTEERS AND POLICE CADETS. THE ACTIVITIES OF THE STATIONS VARIED ACCORDING TO THE PHILOSOPHY AND LEADERSHIP QUALITIES OF PRECINCT COMMANDERS. THE EVALUATION METHODOLOGY EMPLOYED A NONEQUIVALENT CONTROL GROUP DESIGN. WITHIN EACH PRECINCT, THE CENSUS TRACT CONTAINING THE MINISTATION WAS MATCHED WITH ANOTHER TRACT JUDGED SIMILAR IN NATURE ON THE BASIS OF CRIME RATE AND FAMILY INCOME. THE EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL TRACTS WERE ALSO COMPARED REGARDING A NUMBER OF OTHER DEMOGRAPHIC INDICATORS. POLICE STATISTICS AND VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS WERE USED TO MEASURE THE IMPACT ON CRIME; CRIME DATA FROM 1973 THROUGH 1975 WERE USED TO CALCULATE PREPROGRAM AND POSTPROGRAM CRIME RATES IN ALL THE SELECTED CENSUS TRACTS. COMMUNITY ATTITUDES AND VICTIMIZATION LEVELS WERE MEASURED BY MEANS OF A QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTERED TO A SAMPLE OF 624 CITIZENS ACROSS ALL TRACTS. ADDITIONALLY, AN IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF A REPRESENTATIVE STATION WAS CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THE MINISTATIONS EFFECTED CHANGES IN THE REPORTED LEVELS OF CRIME. DATA INDICATED THAT THE PROGRAM LED TO AN INCREASE IN CRIME REPORTING AND AFFECTED THE INCIDENCE OF CERTAIN TYPES OF CRIME, SPECIFICALLY AUTO THEFT AND COMMERCIAL BURGLARY. FURTHER, IT WAS INDICATED THAT A GREATER PERCENTAGE OF CRIMES WAS CLEARED BY ARREST. THE VICTIMIZATION DATA, HOWEVER, SHOWED NO SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE CRIME RATES IN EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL AREAS, ALTHOUGH POSITIVE ATTITUDES PREVAILED AMONG RESIDENTS WITH REGARD TO THE PROGRAM-AT-LARGE. TABLES AND GRAPHS OF THE DATA AND RESULTS ARE PROVIDED. (RCB)