U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

NCJRS Virtual Library

The Virtual Library houses over 235,000 criminal justice resources, including all known OJP works.
Click here to search the NCJRS Virtual Library

Community Policing Against Guns: Public Opinion of the Kansas City Gun Experiment

NCJ Number
167666
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (December 1995) Pages: 695-710
Author(s)
J W Shaw
Date Published
1995
Length
16 pages
Annotation

Using a pre/post quasiexperimental design, this study examined community reactions to police efforts in Kansas City, Missouri, against guns.

Abstract

Two police beats were compared, and police conduct was observed during about 50 percent of door-to-door visits. Police practices occurred in two phases. The first phase from March through May 1992 involved 1,410 police attempts to make home visits on regular duty time. The second phase from July 1992 through January 1993 consisted of two-officer police patrols emphasizing the recovery of firearms. Resident opinions of police encounters and the impact of police efforts on community quality of life were measured. Findings showed the community was aware of enhanced policing. Proactive police practices generally received strong support, and community residents perceived an improved quality of life in the experimental neighborhood. Although findings did not address the views of persons stopped by police patrolling hot spots of gun crime, they suggested residents of communities suffering high gun crime rates welcomed intensive police efforts against guns. 21 references, 1 footnote, and 5 tables