NCJ Number
45043
Date Published
1976
Length
209 pages
Annotation
A 41.2 MILLION-NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAM CALLED NEIGHBORS AGAINST CRIME TOGETHER (NEIGHBORS-ACT) IS EVALUATED. A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN CRIME AWARENESS AND USE OF PREVENTION WAS FOUND.
Abstract
THE PROJECT WAS A JOINT EFFORT OF THE DENVER ANTI-CRIME COUNCIL AND LEAA. THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN JANUARY 1975 AND CONTINUED FOR 20 MONTHS. ITS EMPHASIS WAS THE REDUCTION AND PREVENTION OF SUCH OFFENSES AS BURGLARY, ROBBERY, RAPE, AND ASSAULT, THROUGH AWARENESS OF CRIME AND THE USE OF CRIME-PREVENTION TECHNIQUES. A PREPROJECT SURVEY AND A POSTPROJECT SURVEY, ALONG WITH FIGURES FROM THE DENVER POLICE DEPARTMENT, WERE USED TO ASSESS THE PROGRAM'S IMPACT. THE SURVEYS SHOWED THAT DENVER RESIDENTS WERE MORE LIKELY TO VIEW CRIME AS A SERIOUS PROBLEM AT THE PROJECT'S END; THEY ALSO REPORTED LESS CRIME IN THEIR OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. THEY REPORTED WATCHING EACH OTHER'S HOMES AND SAID THAT THAT ONE REASON CRIME IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD HAD DECREASED WAS THAT, RESIDENTS 'STUCK TOGETHER.' THEY ALSO REPORTED USING MORE CRIME-PREVENTION TECHNIQUES SUCH AS LEAVING LIGHTS ON WHEN GOING OUT, ARRANGING FOR PAPERS TO BE STOPPED WHEN GOING ON VACATION, AND INSTALLING DOOR AND WINDOW LOCKS. POSITIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE POLICE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. CRIME FIGURES SHOWED THAT VICTIMIZATION RATES FOR THE TARGET CRIMES DID NOT CHANGE SIGNIFICANTLY DURING THE STUDY PERIOD. THE BIGGEST CHANGE WAS IN CITIZEN AWARENESS. THE BULK OF THE REPORT CONTAINS THE EVALUATION QUESTIONNAIRES, A CENSUS TRACT BREAKDOWN SHOWING NEIGHBORHOODS CHOSEN FOR EVALUATION, TABLES PRESENTING QUESTIONNAIRE FINDINGS, AND POLICE DEPARTMENT CRIME DATA. (GLR)