POLK COUNTY (IA) - SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PROJECT TO REDUCE COMMERCIAL BURGLARY - AN EVALUATIVE REPORT

• NCJ Number: 45720
• Author(s): ANON
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 7 pages
• Grant Number(s): 702-76-04-7700-25-02
• Sponsoring Agency: Iowa Crime Cmssn; US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Iowa Crime Cmssn
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

A PROJECT UNDERTAKEN BY THE POLK COUNTY, IOWA, SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT DURING 1976 AND AIMED AT REDUCING COMMERCIAL BURGLARY AND INCREASING INVESTIGATIVE EFFICIENCY IS DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.

Abstract

TO ACCOMPLISH PROJECT OBJECTIVES, A SERIES OF MEASURES WAS INSTITUTED IN A TARGET AREA WHICH INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY 400 BUSINESSES. MEASURES INCLUDED INCREASED PATROL, THE USE OF TRAINED CANINES FOR BUILDING SEARCHES, AND BURGLARY EDUCATION AND PREVENTION THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF A CRIME PREVENTION UNIT. EDUCATION/PREVENTION-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES INVOLVED SURVEYS OF AND VISITS TO AREA BUSINESSES TO DETERMINE SECURITY RISKS, INFORMATION VIA THE MEDIA, DISCUSSIONS WITH BUSINESSMEN, WIDESPREAD DISSEMINATION OF CRIME PREVENTION INFORMATION AND MATERIALS, AND SPEECHES AND LECTURES TO SERVICE AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS. PROGRESS REPORT DATA INDICATED THAT 8 BURGLARY ARRESTS RESULTED FROM CITIZEN INFORMATION, AND A FOLLOWUP SURVEY INDICATED THAT 15 PERCENT OF THE RESPONDENTS INITIATED ADDITIONAL PHYSICAL SECURITY MEASURES. DATA FROM THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT UNIT OF THE COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT INDICATE A 42 PERCENT REDUCTION IN COMMERCIAL BURGLARIES IN THE TARGET AREA DURING 1976 AS COMPARED WITH AN 8.6 PERCENT REDUCTION IN TOTAL BURGLARIES FOR POLK COUNTY (EXCLUDING TARGET AREA DATA). FURTHER, LARCENIES IN THE TARGET AREA DECLINED 78 PERCENT DURING 1976, WHILE LARCENY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY CONTINUED TO INCREASE AT THE AVERAGE RATE OF 19.6 PERCENT PER YEAR. RESPONSE TIME WAS REDUCED FROM AN AVERAGE OF 5 MINUTES TO 3.5 MINUTES. SEARCH TIME OF 14 MINUTES REQUIRED FOR A 2-MEMBER TEAM WAS REDUCED TO 3.5 MINUTES FOR ONE OFFICER AND A TRAINED SEARCH DOG. DUE TO INACCURATE, INCOMPLETE, AND OCCASIONALLY CONFLICTING DATA-GATHERING PROCESSES AND REPORTING, IT IS DIFFICULT TO ASSESS THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE PROGRAM TO THE REDUCED INCIDENCE OF REPORTED BURGLARY AND LARCENY IN THE TARGET AREA. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THIS PROJECT BE REFUNDED AND THAT IMPROVEMENTS BE MADE IN FUTURE DATA-GATHERING AND DATA-RECORDING PROCEDURES. A MEMORANDUM CRITICIZING THE EVALUATION, PARTICULARLY THE LACK OF A RIGOROUS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS, IS ALSO INCLUDED. (JAP)