New Parks Crime Reduction Project

• NCJ Number: 158587
• Author(s): R Matthews; J Trickey
• Date Published: 1994
• Length: 64 pages
• Corporate Author: University of Leicester
• Sale Source: University of Leicester
• Publication Type: Program/Project Description
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

This final report summarizes the findings of a research project designed to evaluate a crime reduction program, with a focus on burglary, for England's New Parks housing development.

Abstract

A crime reduction group was established to direct and coordinate the initiative. A combination of physical and social crime prevention measures were developed to address burglary on the estate. These elements included target hardening in the form of a lock-fitting scheme; the development of Neighborhood Watch programs; the creation of a multiagency group to coordinate and direct intervention; the development of social measures designed to reduce offending, particularly among juveniles; and the dissemination of information to residents through newsletters and meetings. The distinctive aspect of the project was a focus on repeat victimization by targeting households that had previously been burglarized. The evaluation of the crime reduction program involved a combination of quantitative and qualitative data that were designed to capture both the subjective and objective outcomes of the program. The primary source of information was a longitudinal panel survey conducted with a sample of residents. The survey's aim was to obtain information on the experience of crime and the fear of crime. Police statistics were used to examine changes in the burglary rates before and after the program. Evaluation findings show that the program reduced the number of burglaries from 226 in 1992 to 181 in 1993. The number of dwellings burglarized also decreased from 173 in 1992 to 139 in 1993. This decrease in the incidence and prevalence of burglary during 1993 was reversed in the first 5 months of 1994, however. During this period alone there were 103 burglaries recorded. There has been a significant increase in the number of attempted burglaries during 1993 and 1994, which could be viewed as a form of success. The primary achievements of the project included the fitting of 298 security packages over 12 months and the establishment of one new Neighborhood Watch program. Overall, the experience in New Parks provides qualified support for the repeat victimization strategy, in that the number of repeat burglaries decreased during the initiative. 34 tables, 6 figures, and 15 references