Year: 2019
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Policing disorder through community policing and problem-solving policing is associated with reductions in crime, but aggressive, order maintenance approaches do not seem to generate crime reductions. What is the aim of this review?This Campbell systematic review examines the effects of disorder policing interventions on crime.The review summarizes evidence from 28 high-quality studies (representing 30 independent tests), including nine randomized controlled trials.Most the studies come from the United States. | The review in briefDisorderly conditions are seen as a precursor to more serious crime, fear of crime, and neighborhood decline.Policing disorder is associated with reductions in crime, but only when community and problem-solving tactics are used.Aggressive, order maintenance based approaches do not seem to be effective. | What is this review about?Policing social and physical disorderly conditions is rooted in the broken windows approach: disorder is a precursor to more serious crime, fear of crime, and neighborhood decline.Addressing disorder has become a central fixture of policing, especially in the UnitedStates.Yet, evaluations of the effectiveness of disorder policing strategies in controlling crime yield conflicting results.Policing disorderly conditions can be divided into two main strategies: (a) order maintenance or zero tolerance policing, where police attempt to impose order through strict enforcement and (b) community policing and problem-solving policing, where police attempt to produce order and reduce crime through cooperation with community members and by addressing specific recurring problems.This review examined the effects of disorder policing strategies compared to traditional law enforcement actions (e.g., regular levels of patrol) on the rates of crime, including property crime, violent crime, and disorder/drug crime.This review also examined whether policing disorder actions at specific locations result in crime displacement (i.e., crime moving around the corner) or diffusion of crime control benefits (i.e., crime reduction in surrounding areas). | What studies are included?A total of 28 disorder policing studies (representing 30 independent tests) met the criteria to be included in this review.The studies spanned the period from 1985 to 2012, and were mostly carried out in the United States.All of the studies used high-quality designs to evaluate the impact of the intervention; nine were randomized controlled trials.Twelve tests were completed in large cities with more than 500,000 residents, nine tests were completed in medium-sized cities with between 200,000 and 500,000 residents, and the other nine tests were completed in smaller cities with <200,000 residents.All of the tests were carried out in specific geographical settings, including small places (e.g., crime hot spots and problem buildings), smaller police-defined areas (e.g., patrol beats), --------------------------
Source: Campbell Systematic Reviews
DOI: 10.1002/cl2.1050
Institutions: Northeastern University, University of South Carolina
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W2972547671