The evaluation's primary objective was to assess program impacts on neighborhood residents over a 1-year period. Measurements were taken before and after program implementation. Identical measurements were made in comparison neighborhoods and a citywide sample of Chicago residents. Most of the quantitative data were collected in February and March of 1983 and again in 1984. Issues considered were the goals of the community groups, program goals, whether the goals of the community groups were the same as those who funded and evaluated the programs, and the impact of any goal differences on program impact. The block watch was examined in detail as the crime prevention tactic most often used. The study concludes that the communities did not increase their security through block watch, and often participants felt worse about their capacity to achieve change at the local level. The effort at impacting crime failed largely due to the absence of a coalition of citizen, government, and social science representation. Index, appendix and references.