NCJ Number
80950
Date Published
1982
Length
36 pages
Annotation
This executive summary reports evaluation findings of a project to reduce burglary, robbery, and the fear of these crimes in North Asylum Hill, a high-crime residential neighborhood in Hartford, Conn.
Abstract
The major project activities included building cul-de-sacs on some neighborhood streets and making others one-way to reduce use of residential streets by motorists passing through the area. A neighborhood police team was created together with a police advisory committee, consisting of resident representatives, to strengthen the relationship between police and residents and increase police attention to neighborhood problems and concerns. In addition, formal neighborhood organizations were founded and strengthened to provide effective ways for residents to work on neighborhood problems. The program was initially evaluated in 1977, seven months after implementation had been completed. At that time, the burglary rate in the neighborhood had dropped well below expected levels, and the robbery rate had decreased as well. Residents' fear of crime, particularly regarding burglary, had also decreased. This reevaluation of program impact was conducted in 1979, 3 years after initial implementation. Evaluators found that, although community organizations had remained active and the physical street changes remained in place, the police segment of the program had changed significantly due to a substantial reduction in police manpower, and the number of arrests, which had risen when the program began, had dropped sharply. Concurrently with these changes, burglary and robbery levels had increased between 1977 and 1979, returning to about the levels predicted from citywide trends. Fear of crime, however, remained low, compared to citywide trends. Furthermore, residents felt more secure and satisfied with their neighborhood, perceived crime to be less of a problem, and were more optimistic about future neighborhood conditions. Residents also reported using the neighborhood parks and streets more, being more aware of strangers, and intervening in suspicious situations more often. Based on those findings, the report concludes that fear of crime is related more to the character of a neighborhood than to the actual crime rate. The findings also suggest that increased informal social control in an urban neighborhood does not by itself produce crime reduction. Heightened police activity is necessary. As a final conclusion, the reevaluation suggests that a comprehensive crime control program, involving police, community, and physical changes, can have an impact on crime and on the overall quality of life in the neighborhood, increasing residents' satisfaction, security, and optimism about the future. Notes, 6 tables, and 10 citations are provided. For the full report, see NCJ 80949. (Author abstract modified)