NCJ Number
43540
Date Published
1975
Length
87 pages
Annotation
AN EVALUATION OF THE ROANOKE HIGH INCIDENCE TARGET (HIT) PROJECT, WHICH CONCENTRATES LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES TO BRING ABOUT A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN SPECIFIC TARGET CRIMES OVER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, IS PRESENTED.
Abstract
THIS EVALUATION ASSESSES THE PROJECT'S FIRST 8 MONTHS OF OPERATION. THE PROGRAM WAS IMPLEMENTED IN TWO PHASES. HIT PHASE I WAS DEVELOPED FOR THE THREE MOST POPULOUS METROPOLITAN LOCATIONS IN THE COMMONWEALTH, WHILE HIT PHASE II, WHICH INCLUDES THE ROANOKE PROJECT, WAS DEVELOPED FOR THOSE VIRGINIA CITIES AND COUNTIES WITH A POPULATION OF 50,000 TO 200,000. THE REPORT INCLUDES A DESCRIPTION OF THE ROANOKE HIT PROJECT, PRESENTS THE METHODOLOGY USED TO EVALUATE THE PROJECT, AND THE EVALUATION FINDING AND RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING TACTICAL ELEMENTS/PROJECT EQUIPMENT, PUBLIC INFORMATION ELEMENTS, AND PLANNING AND SUPPORT ELEMENTS. ALSO INCLUDED ARE SURVEY RESULTS OF HIT PROJECT PERSONNEL. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THE HIT PROJECT WAS TO REDUCE THE OVERALL INCIDENCE OF BURGLARIES DURING A GIVEN YEAR BY 15 PERCENT OVER THE PRECEDING 12-MONTH PERIOD. BASED ON STATISTICS FOR THE FIRST 8 MONTHS OF OPERATION, THE PROJECT HAD NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN TERMS OF ITS ORIGINALLY STATED OBJECTIVE: COMMERCIAL BURGLARY HAD INCREASED 42.6 PERCENT, RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY HAD INCREASED 65.6 PERCENT, AND TOTAL BURGLARY HAD INCREASED 54.3 PERCENT. AMONG THE POSITIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE HIT SQUAD OPERATIONS WERE: 218 ARRESTS, THE CLEARANCE OF 46 PERCENT OF BURGLARY CASES, THE INCREASE OF THE OVERALL BURGLARY CLEARANCE RATE FROM 11.9 PERCENT TO 14.3 PERCENT, AND A COMPREHENSIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT EXPOSED A LARGE NUMBER OF CITY AND COUNTY RESIDENTS TO VARIOUS METHODS OF COMBATTING RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BURGLARY. NEVERTHELESS, THE ROANOKE HIT PROJECT WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL IN REDUCING THE INCIDENCE OF BURGLARY. RECOMMENDATIONS CENTERING ON REFINING EXISTING PROJECT ACTIVITIES AND EXPANDING THE SCOPE AND RESOURCES OF THE PROJECT TO ENCOMPASS MAJOR LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTIONS IN THE AREAS OF BURGLARY PREVENTION, INTELLIGENCE, DETECTION AND APPREHENSION, AND INVESTIGATION ARE DISCUSSED. IN ADDITION, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE POSITION OF SPECIAL PROSECUTOR BE ESTABLISHED IN THE OFFICE OF THE COMMONWEALTH'S ATTORNEY TO PROVIDE LEGAL ADVICE TO THE HIT SQUAD; THIS INDIVIDUAL WOULD ALSO ONLY PROSECUTE BURGLARY CASES. APPENDIXES PRESENT THE HIT PROGRAM SPECIAL POLICE UNIT QUESTIONNAIRE AND PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NEWS RELEASES REGARDING THE HIT PROJECT. SUPPORTING STATISTICS APPEAR IN TABULAR AND GRAPHIC FORM.