Memphis Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiatives (SACSI) Project: A Case Study

• NCJ Number: 232198
• Author(s): James R. Coldren, Jr., Ph.D.; David R. Forde, Ph.D.
• Date Published: October 2010
• Length: 49 pages
• Grant Number(s): 1999-IJ-CX-K013
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research); Case Study

Annotation

This report presents the findings from the case study research on the Memphis (Tennessee) Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative (SACSI), which involved a collaborative effort among law enforcement, criminal justice, university researchers, community representatives, victims' advocates, city government, social service agencies, and the schools to heighten awareness of sexual assault and reduce the incidence of victimization among teen girls.

Abstract

The Memphis SACSI team conducted an in-depth assessment of the sexual assault problem prior to developing problem-solving initiatives; examining offense, arrest, and victimization data covering a 5-year period preceding the SACSI project; and studying geographic (crime mapping) patterns as well. In addition, a lengthy collaboration with a variety of Federal, State, and local agencies and organizations was undertaken, both to build the local partnership and explore the sexual assault problem through qualitative research methods. The Memphis SACSI team then developed a three-pronged approach to reducing sexual assaults, incorporating suppression (law enforcement), intervention, and prevention approaches. By the year 2001, several years after the initiative of SACSI in Memphis, and after approximately 2 years of research for this case study, the SACSI program in Memphis continued. Several new programs and initiatives were operating, most notably an enhanced program that links Memphis police officers with sexual assault victims' advocates when responding to reported sexual assaults. Other efforts included a prevention-oriented school education program, focused interventions with repeat sexual assault offenders, and enhanced crime analysis capabilities based in a significantly improved relationship between local universities and law enforcement agencies in Memphis. By the end of this case study research, major organizational changes had occurred; the operational center moved from the U.S. Attorney's Office to the local Memphis-Shelby County Crime Commission and became linked with a new Center for Community Criminology at the University of Memphis. 5 tables and 3 figures