NCJ Number
179173
Date Published
1996
Length
8 pages
Annotation
The goal of this project was to reduce the impact of major crime problems in North Miami Beach through the use of a proactive, integrated problem-solving methodology.
Abstract
Specific project objectives were to reduce violent crimes and their corresponding caseloads by 15 to 25 percent, to identify opportunities leading to criminal events through inputs obtained from community partnerships, to suppress and eliminate crime through problem recognition and community education, and to alter circumstances and behaviors leading to criminal acts. A plan was developed to change the way in which investigative functions of the North Miami Beach Police Department (NMBPD) interacted with other NMBPD components. This plan emphasized increasing the transmission speed of incident reports, hiring a full-time crime analyst to review and evaluate all major police crime reports, hiring additional police officers for the NMBPD's Investigations Section, reorganizing the Investigations Section, enhancing public awareness of crime prevention, and increasing assistance to crime victims and high-crime areas. The plan was successful in that it allowed the NMBPD to apply problem-solving principles and practices to investigative functions of the police department. In particular, the creation of an Investigative Task Force within the Investigations Section yielded positive results in terms of the proactive apprehension of criminals and the reduction of crime. Additionally, public awareness of factors involved in crime and crime prevention was raised.