Problem-Oriented Policing in Violent Crime Places: A Randomized Controlled Experiment

• NCJ Number: 178770
• Journal: Criminology Volume: 37 Issue: 3 Dated: August 1999 Pages: 541-580
• Author(s): Anthony A. Braga; David L. Weisburd; Elin J. Waring; Lorraine Green Mazerolle; William Spelman; Francis Gajewski
• Date Published: 1999
• Length: 40 pages
• Grant Number(s): 93-IJ-CX-K015
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)

Annotation

This article evaluates the effects of problem-oriented policing interventions on urban violent crime problems in Jersey City, New Jersey.

Abstract

Twenty-four high-activity, violent crime places were matched into 12 pairs and one member of each pair was allocated to treatment conditions in a randomized block field experiment. Twenty-eight problem-oriented policing strategies at treatment places included: (1) aggressive order maintenance; (2) drug enforcement; (3) requiring store owners to clean store fronts; (4) removing trash on street; (5) robbery investigations; (6) increased lighting of area; (7) housing code enforcement; (8) erecting fences around vacant lot and cleaning vacant lot; (9) surveillance of place using videotape; (10) code investigation of tavern; (11) razing abandoned building; (12) adding trash receptacles; (13) removing drug-selling crews’ stashed guns; and (14) helping homeless people find shelter and substance abuse treatment. The program was successful in reducing crime and disorder at violent places with little evidence that crime had been displaced to surrounding areas. Notes, tables, references