Hot Spots Across the Metropolis: Evaluating Hot Spots Directed Patrol at City and Suburban Locations

• NCJ Number: 253824
• Journal: Justice Quarterly Dated: June 2019
• Author(s): Brian P. Schaefer; Thomas Hughes; W. C. Stelzig
• Date Published: June 2019
• Length: 12 pages
• Grant Number(s): 2012-GP-BX-0008
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical); Report (Study/Research); Report (Grant Sponsored); Program/Project Evaluation; Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: CrimeSolutions Program ID #697

Annotation

Since it is not known whether hot spots policing works in less populated or lower crime locations such as suburbs, the current study addressed this research gap by conducting a department-wide hot spots patrol experiment in Louisville, Kentucky.

Abstract

The study used block randomization to identify 47 hot spot pairs, 24 pairs located in the city and 23 pairs in the suburbs. The intervention examined the impact of directed patrol across three difference-in-difference outcomes: crime-related calls for service (CFS), part 1 crimes, and soft crimes. Ordinary least squares regression results indicate the intervention did not have significant effects on the three outcomes; however, hot spot location impacted crime-related CFS. The study concludes by discussing the importance and limitations of hot spots policing in suburban locations and the challenges of department-wide interventions. (publisher abstract modified)