Bureau of Justice Assistance Comprehensive Communities Program: A Preliminary Report, Research in Brief

• NCJ Number: 171132
• Author(s): G L Kelling; M R Hochberg; S L Kaminska; A M Rocheleau; D P Rosenbaum; J A Roth; W G Skogan
• Date Published: 1998
• Length: 11 pages
• Publication Series: NIJ Research in Brief
• Grant Number(s): 94-IJ-CX-0065; 96-DD-BX-0098
• Agencies: NIJ
• Publication Type: Program/Project Evaluation

Annotation

This paper presents preliminary results of an NIJ-sponsored process evaluation of the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Comprehensive Communities Program (CCP) as implemented in 12 sites.

Abstract

The evaluation examined the process by which sites implemented their comprehensive crime control and prevention strategies, as well as the impact of pre-existing ecological, social, economic, and political factors on implementation. It also examined the evidence and effects of partnership-building aimed at combating crime and violence. The extent to which CCP accelerated sites' implementation of community policing was examined as well. The study concludes that comprehensive strategies supported by a Federal grant to combat crime and violence can be implemented, but must be adapted to address specific local circumstances and issues. In many sites, the CCP process was a catalyst for establishing new anti-crime community leadership while including long-standing, active community leaders. Powerful partnerships developed in a variety of ways from diverse origins. The mandated framework of community representation and coordinated, multidisciplinary approaches to crime were instrumental in ensuring that in most sites, community policing and community mobilization did not function merely parallel to each other but as integral partners. Further, police departments consistently pursued departmentwide community policing, not just individual programs. 3 exhibits and 4 notes