NCJ Number
15384
Date Published
1974
Length
24 pages
Annotation
THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF EVALUATION MEASURES FOR THE CINCINNATI POLICE DIVISION'S GOALS - THE REDUCTION OF CRIME AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
Abstract
THE GOALS WERE MEASURED THROUGH A SET OF INTERRELATED SURVEYS, BASED ON SAMPLES DRAWN FROM MULTIPLE POPULATIONS: RESIDENTS OF CINCINNATI, CITIZENS WHO HAD RECEIVED POLICE SERVICE, ARRESTED CITIZENS, NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSMEN AND POLICE OFFICERS. EVALUATION OF POLICE/ COMMUNITY RELATIONS WAS DETERMINED THROUGH SURVEY QUESTIONS WHICH FOCUSED ON CITIZEN ATTITUDE AND EXPERIENCE. AREAS COVERED BY THE SURVEYS INCLUDED VISIBILITY OF THE POLICE, AMOUNT OF INFORMAL CONTACT, FEAR OF CRIME, ATTITUDES TOWARD FOCAL ISSUES (E.G., DRUGS, MINORITY RECRUITMENT AND CITIZEN REVIEW BOARDS), CITIZEN EVALUATION OF POLICE SERVICES, POLICE DEMEANOR AND PERCEIVED LEVEL OF CITIZEN COOPERATION AND HOSTILITY TOWARD THE POLICE. MULTIPLE POPULATIONS WERE USED TO DETERMINE DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF THE PROGRAM AND AS AN EARLY INDICATOR OF SHIFTS IN ATTITUDE. THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPARISON GROUPS, THE NEED TO ANTICIPATE ALTERNATE EXPLANATIONS FOR DESIRED OUTCOMES AND THE USE OF MULTIPLE APPROACHES FOR SURVEYS ARE DISCUSSED. THE REDUCTION OF CRIME WAS MEASURED THROUGH THE USE OF VICTIMIZATION SURVEYS DEVELOPED BY THE U.S. BUREAU OF THE CENSUS FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ASSISTANCE ADMINISTRATION AND ADAPTED FOR THE URBAN INSTITUTE'S USE. FIVE AREAS OF THE CITY OF CINCINNATI WERE SAMPLED SEPARATELY AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE DESIGN IS DISCUSSED. MOREOVER, A CASE IS MADE FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF A 'SERIOUSNESS' INDICATOR, AS WELL AS THE MORE USUAL VICTIMIZATION RATE AND COMPARISONS WITH UNIFORM CRIME REPORTS IN THE REPORTING OF CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION INFORMATION. SELECTED DATA FROM THE 1973 SURVEY ARE USED TO ILLUSTRATE THIS POINT. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)