NCJ Number
185533
Date Published
January 2000
Length
72 pages
Annotation
This essay reviews the rise of community-oriented and
problem-oriented policing as major vehicles to improve the
effectiveness of police efforts in communities and as means of
reforming police organizations.
Abstract
The author considers the historical development of various models
of policing, as it examines the assumptions embedded in each of
these often-competing emphases. The essay goes on to review
extant research on the impacts of community policing on
communities, police organizations, police work, and police
officers. Findings from various studies suggest that community
and problem-oriented policing have had modest impacts on
community crime but larger impacts on the quality of interaction
between the police and the public. In addition, extant research
suggests that police organizations are slowly adopting the
philosophy and practices of community and problem-oriented
policing and have shown some change in police structure and
service delivery. Changes associated with problem solving within
police agencies are less evident in the research literature. More
often than not, the police are using traditional approaches to
respond to problems identified in community settings. Finally,
the research literature suggests that police officers' concept of
their roles and their attachment to police work are improving
with the adoption of community and problem-oriented policing
roles. Police job satisfaction is also seen as increasing for
officers associated with community policing efforts. The essay
concludes with a consideration of the forces that are continuing
to shape American policing and the need to address the largest
obstacle identified in opposition to community-oriented and
problem-oriented policing, namely, the police bureaucracy. 2
exhibits and 137 references
Date Published: January 1, 2000