Impact of Community Policing on the Criminal Justice System

• NCJ Number: 171963
• Author(s): J E Jacoby; H P Gramckow; E C Ratledge
• Date Published: 1995
• Length: 286 pages
• Grant Number(s): 92-IJ-CX-K033
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Survey

Annotation

This report describes the activities involved in assessing the impact of community policing in the criminal justice system and local government agencies in Colorado, Maryland, Oregon, and Arizona.

Abstract

Community policing was studied to identify the nature and effect of community policing on prosecution and the rest of the criminal justice system, responses by prosecutors and other criminal justice agencies that may support or enhance community policing, and changing roles and functions of criminal justice agencies and the courts in relation to community policing. Four jurisdictions were the subject of detailed site assessments, and initial findings from these jurisdictions were then refined, modified, and extended through a survey of over 150 other jurisdictions. The four jurisdictions included El Paso and Colorado Springs, Colorado; Montgomery County, Maryland; Multnomah County and Portland, Oregon; and Pima County and Tucson, Arizona. Findings showed community policing required the development of new relationships among criminal justice agencies and the courts. Community policing goals were enhanced by prosecutorial support, community policing did not appear to affect misdemeanor and felony court case processing, and the relationship between community policing activities and probation were largely policy-driven. Community policing created strong ties with many local government offices and agencies. Detailed findings on community policing styles and impacts in the four jurisdictions are presented. The survey instrument is appended. References, tables, and figures