NCJ Number
104773
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 27 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1987) Pages: 54-63
Date Published
1987
Length
10 pages
Annotation
This 1983-85 British study of two rural areas (Southton and Northam) and four urban areas in the Midlands analyzed crime and interviewed police and citizens to determine patterns of informal and formal social control and patterns of cooperation between the public and police.
Abstract
The interviews involved 141 citizens in the urban areas, 94 in Northam, and 87 in Southton. Fifty-three police officers responsible for the study areas were interviewed, and a year of crime reports for the areas were analyzed. Seventy-two days of citizen calls for police services were also considered. Citizens focused on relatively minor community problems, such as loitering juveniles and vandalism, with persons in urban areas citing a greater number of problems than rural residents. Citizens' informal social control techniques included confrontations with suspicious persons, informing neighbors about suspicious activity around their premises, informing police, and bringing the matter to a community body. Informal social control was used more in the rural communities than the urban communities. Citizen expectations of police were to respond to crime, address intractable community problems, note and analyze information about community problems, and provide a visible symbol of community order. Police and citizens tended to act separately in addressing community problems. An improved approach would be communication and cooperation between citizens and police to deal with community crime and disorder.