About the Book
This anthology introduces students to the dynamic, rapidly changing field of Community-Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS). The context of community crime and its causes are brought to the forefront in this collection of articles by leading academics and practitioners. Coverage includes such diverse topics as: the evolution of policing; the role of citizens in social control, crime prevention, and prevention strategies; what police officers need to know about crime; the major changes required for organizations to successfully implement community policing; the role of the community as well as public and private agencies in the movement toward COPPS; criminological factors which contribute to crime and disorder in our communities; articles on mobilizing communities; and, future trends in community policing. Despite the widespread implementation of community-oriented policing, its success has varied significantly from locale to locale.
"Policing Communities" emphasizes: the role that the community plays in developing effective strategies for controlling and preventing crime; new methods the police are using to examine the context of crime; and procedures that agencies are using to implement COPPS. Brief, thought-provoking introductions are provided for each article, framing the piece in a larger context. These introductions serve as a useful "road map" for students.
Table of Contents:
INTRODUCTION PART I: THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW POLICING 1. Improving Policing: A Problem-Oriented Approach, H. Goldstein Concerned about policing's overemphasis on process versus substance, the author recommends that police improve their approach to crime and disorder through a more systematic process for examining those problems. 2. Acquiring a Taste for Order: The Community and the Police, G. L. Kelling This article discusses whether reasonable levels of civic order can be maintained amid the complex interplay between the community and police that is essential for neighborhood civility. 3. The New Police Order: Effectiveness, Equity, and Efficiency in Community Policing, J. Eck and D. P. Rosenbaum A conceptual framework for community policing centers on three essential elements: effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. 4. The Changing Role of the Police: Assessing the Current Transition to Community Policing, D. P. Rosenbaum This exploration of the more recent evolution of policing focuses on the important role that community partnerships play in improving its effectiveness. PART II: MOBILIZING COMMUNITIES TOWARD THE CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF CRIME 5. Building a Responsive Community, J. Gardner This article presents a theoretical analysis of the essential ingredients of building more cohesive and responsive communities. 6. Social Capital and a Sense of Community Building: Building Social Cohesion, M. Correia According to this argument, building strong social cohesion is paramount to solving complex community problems. 7. Neighborhood Disorder, Integration and the Fear of Crime, E. F. McGarrell, A. Giacomazzi, and Q. Thurman The authors discuss the debilitating effects of fear on neighborhoods and the potential of new policing techniques for understanding and responding to its causes. 8. Implementing the Challenges in Community Policing: Innovative Neighborhood-Oriented Policing in Eight Cities, S. Sadd and R. Grinc An evaluation of eight U.S. cities that implemented innovative neighborhood-oriented policing (INOP) programs presents the challenges and problems that were encountered. 9. Lasting Impact: Maintaining Neighborhood Order, R. W. Glensor and K. J. Peak This article discusses the systems being developed to maintain neighborhoods. PART III: STREET-LEVEL CRIMINOLOGY: WHAT POLICE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CRIME 10. Sitting Ducks, Ravenous Wolves, and Helping Hands: New Approaches to Urban Policing, W. Spelman and J. Eck The three essential elements of a crime - victims, offenders, and places - are discussed and the resolution of crime problems are illustrated using the scanning, analysis, response, and assessment (SARA) problem-solving process. 11. Defining the Hot Spots of Crime, M. E. Burger, E. G. Cohn, and A. J. Petrosino A study of crime in Minneapolis reveals that a relatively few "hot spots" account for a high percentage of overall crime. Several other issues concerning crime and place are also examined. 12. Catching Career Criminals, S. Martin and L. Sherman Research reveals that a disproportionate amount of crime is committed by a few very active offenders. There are difficulties in implementing a program to target and catch these offenders. 13. Focusing on Prey Rather Than Predators: A Problem-Oriented Response to Victimization, R. Glensor, K. Peak, and M. Correia The authors discuss a concept that is relatively unknown in the United States: repeat victimization. They demonstrate that a few people account for a high percentage of total victimization, and they illustrate how problem-solving processes may lie in identifying and responding to this often ignored pattern of crime. 14. Physical Environment and Crime, R. Taylor and A. Harrell The police and community need to understand the relationship between the environment and crime. Certain physical features that promote crime and people's fear of crime are discussed. 15. Situational Crime Prevention: Successful Studies, R. Clarke The author provides a survey of situational crime-prevention techniques, building upon crime theories, crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED), and problem-oriented policing. PART IV: IMPLEMENTING CHANGE IN POLICE DEPARTMENTS 16. Community-Oriented Policing Across the U.S.: Facilitators and Impediments to Implementation, J. Zhao, Q. Thurman, and N. Lovrich This selection presents the findings from a national study that focused on both internal and external factors that affect the implementation of community policing. 17. Implementing Change: Community-Oriented Policing and Problem Solving, R. Glensor and K. Peak The authors identify four key areas - leadership and management, organizational culture, field operations, and external relations - that demand attention and which must consider police when implementing community-oriented policing and problem solving. 18. Winning the Hearts and Minds of Police Officers: An Assessment of Staff Perceptions of Community Policing and Problem Solving, A. Lurgio and W. Skogan In this article, several reasons are presented for police officers resisting change and the implementation of community policing. Some strategies are provided for helping to overcome officers' concerns. 19. Toward a Practical Approach to Organizational Change: Community Policing Initiatives in Six Cities, D. Weisel and J. Eck The authors provide an extensive review of measurable attributes and activities that are associated with organizational culture and successful change. 20. Citizen Perceptions of Community Policing: Are Attitudes Towards Police Important? M. D. Reisig and A. L. Giacomazzi The authors explore the public's perceptions of police and how differences in these perceptions across neighborhoods may affect officers' attitudes and community-policing efforts. 21. Community Policing Evaluation, D. L. Carter and A. D. Sapp This selection highlights the importance of conducting formal evaluations of community-policing efforts if police are going to be successful in long-term effective implementation. PART V: EPILOGUE: FUTURE TRENDS AND CHALLENGES 22. The Current State and Future of Community Policing, W. L. Tafoya This article provides the insights of six leading police executives and academics about the development, direction, and future challenges facing the dynamic area of community policing. 23. Future Issues in Policing: Challenges for Leaders, S. Greenberg A discussion of 36 important issues that police executives should incorporate into their strategic plans for the future.
