NCJ Number
134801
Date Published
1987
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This review of recent experience in community policing in Great Britain assesses the goals and effectiveness of two major initiatives: more foot patrol and the encouragement of community crime prevention programs.
Abstract
Community policing is a term that is often used loosely and for which no definition has been agreed upon. The term is variously used to convey a sense of nostalgia and exhortation, to summarize what its proponents wish to become the dominant value in policing, and to describe a set of specific practices. Two of these practices are foot patrol and measures to involve groups and individuals other than the police in crime prevention. Foot patrol aims to increase citizen satisfaction with the police, promote proactive rather than reactive policing, and improve crime prevention. Similarly, interagency cooperation and citizen involvement in crime prevention aim to improve crime control efforts. However, little or no data exist to suggest that these approaches have yet made any measurable difference, although they have been useful in stimulating debate and action. 23 references