NCJ Number
15761
Date Published
1974
Length
18 pages
Annotation
EVALUATES PROGRAM IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI TO REDUCE RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY THROUGH ENGRAVING HOUSEHOLD PROPERTY WITH EASILY TRACEABLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS.
Abstract
THE EVALUATION OF OPERATION IDENT CONSISTED OF A MEASUREMENT OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROJECT IN CONTRIBUTING TO THE REDUCTION OF RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES WITHIN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS THROUGH THE TECHNIQUE OF ENGRAVING VALUABLE HOUSEHOLD PROPERTY WITH THE MISSOURI DRIVER'S LICENSE NUMBER AS AN EASILY TRACEABLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, POSTING A 'BLUE HAND' DECAL IN A CONSPICUOUS EXTERNAL LOCATION ON THE RESIDENTIAL UNIT AND PROMOTING CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IN THIS TARGET HARDENING EFFORT THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION CONSISTING OF PERSONAL APPEARANCES BEFORE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND AGENCIES, THE DISTRIBUTION OF PROJECT LITERATURE, AND MEDIA PRESENTATIONS. RESULTS ARE BASED UPON AN ANALYSIS OF THE BURGLARY HISTORY OF PARTICIPATING HOUSEHOLDS PRIOR TO AND AFTER PARTICIPATION IN THE PROJECT AND AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CITY-WIDE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM. OTHER RESULTS ARE BASED ON PUBLIC AWARENESS SURVEYS AND AN INSPECTION AND ANALYSIS OF OPERATIONAL RECORDS RELATIVE TO PROGRAM ACTIVITY SUCH AS PEN DISTRIBUTION AND MEDIA PLANNING EFFORTS. THE FINDINGS SHOW THAT FEW RECOVERIES OF IDENT ENGRAVED STOLEN PROPERTY HAVE BEEN MADE. THE PROJECT APPEARS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AS A DETERRENT TO RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY THAN AS AN AID TO REMEDYING BURGLARIES ALREADY COMMITTED. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDE PROGRAM EXPANSION TO INCLUDE AT LEAST TEN PERCENT OF THE HOUSEHOLDS OF ST. LOUIS WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE PHASE THREE AWARD PERIOD.