WILMINGTON (DE) CRIME SPECIFIC PROGRAM - A PROJECT EVALUATION

• NCJ Number: 27418
• Author(s): T R DECAMPLI
• Date Published: 1975
• Length: 29 pages
• Grant Number(s): DF-75-73; 74-040
• Sponsoring Agency: Delaware Criminal Justice Planning Cmssn
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Statistics
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACT OF A NUMBER OF COORDINATED PROJECTS AIMED AT REDUCING ROBBERY AND BURGLARY IN SELECTED HIGH CRIME RATE TARGET AREAS BY TWENTY PER CENT.

Abstract

THE INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF THIS PROGRAM INCLUDED THE SECURITY OF THE HOME PROJECT, MR. VICTIM, EDUCATION OF THE STOREKEEPER, COMMERCIAL ALARM SYSTEM, IDENTIFICATION ENGRAVING, HIGH VISIBILITY PATROL, AND NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH. EACH PROJECT WAS DESIGNED TO ACHIEVE A SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE AIMED COLLECTIVELY AT 'TARGET HARDENING' A DESIGNATED POLICE DISTRICT IN THE CITY. THE EVALUATION OF THIS PROGRAM WAS BASED ON A COMPARISON OF ROBBERY/ BURGLARY FIGURES FOR EACH TARGET AREA. EVALUATION FINDINGS REVEALED THAT THE PROGRAM HAD HAD NO EFFECT IN FOUR OF THE FIVE TARGET AREAS, OR CITY-WIDE. EVALUATORS CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS NO CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT ROBBERY AND BURGLARY HAD BEEN REDUCED BY THE OPERATION OF THE CRIME SPECIFIC PROGRAM. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE PROGRAM GOAL AND INDIVIDUAL PROJECT OBJECTIVE WERE UNREALISTIC AND SHOULD BE REVISED. RECOMMENDATIONS INCLUDED KEEPING ALLOCATIONS AND EXPENDITURES ON AN INDIVIDUAL BASIS FOR EACH COMPONENT PROJECT; IMPLEMENTING STRICT MONITORING PROCEDURES TO ENSURE CONTINUOUS COLLECTION OF PROJECT DATA; SELECTING ONE POLICE DISTRICT FOR CONCENTRATED APPLICATION OF THE PROGRAM AS A COMPARISON TO THE CITY-WIDE EFFORT; AND REDUCING THE NUMBER OF FALSE ALARMS SET OFF BY BUSINESSES. AN APPENDIX IS INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)