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MONTEREY COUNTY (CA) BURGLARY PREVENTION PROGRAM - AN EVALUATION - FINAL REPORT

NCJ Number
68267
Author(s)
K W JOHNSON
Date Published
1980
Length
18 pages
Annotation
RESULTS ARE REPORTED FROM AN EVALUATION OF THE BURGLARY PREVENTION PROGRAM OF THE MONTEREY COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT (CALIFORNIA).
Abstract
BEGINNING IN NOVEMBER 1979, AN EVALUATION WAS CONDUCTED TO EXAMINE THE EFFORT AND IMPACT OF THE BURGLARY PREVENTION PROGRAM. THIS PILOT PROGRAM, WHICH OFFICIALLY OPERATED FROM APRIL 1977 TO SEPTEMBER 1979, CONSISTED OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH, INTER-AND INTRA-AGENCY LIAISON, AND PLANNING ACTIVITIES. COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES SOUGHT TO INVOLVE CITIZENS IN CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS, WHILE INTER- AND INTRA-AGENCY LIAISON ACTIVITIES PROVIDED CRIME PREVENTION TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL. THE PRIMARY IN-HOUSE PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITY WAS THE CREATION OF CRIME PREVENTION MATERIAL. THE EVALUATION CONSISTED OF A PERFORMANCE AUDIT WHICH COMPARED PROGRAM-RELATED WORK COMPLETED WITH WORK REQUIRED IN THE GRANT APPLICATION, A MULTIPLE TIME-SERIES ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE IMPACT OF THE PROGRAM, AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TARGET AREA QUARTERS ACCORDING TO TYPE OF BURGLARY AND REASONS FOR ENTRY. RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE EFFORTS OF THE PROGRAM STAFF WERE SATISFACTORY, PARTICULARLY THE INITIATION OF COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES; HOWEVER, THE INTENDED IMPACT, REDUCTION OF BURGLARY RATES IN THE TARGET AREA, WAS NOT ACHIEVED. THE PROGRAM DID CHANGE A CONSISTENT INCREASE IN BURGLARIES TO A RANDOM FLUCTUATION. THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF BURGLARIES IN QUARTERS OF THE TARGET AREA SHOWED RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY TO BE MOST FREQUENT, WITH VICTIM CARELESSNESS BEING A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. THE BURGLARY PREVENTION PROGRAM SHOULD BE INCORPORATED WITH THE SHERIFF DEPARTMENT'S REGULAR OPERATIONS, WITH EMPHASIS UPON LONG-RANGE CRIME PREVENTION PLANNING. TABULAR AND GRAPHIC DATA ARE PROVIDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)