Southern New Hampshire University
CJ-205 Policing in the United States
Week Four Notes
What is smart policing?
Smart policing is a growing standard that encourages improving on the use of an
evidence base for policing with the goal of reducing crime.
Builds on previous improvements in the delivery of police services and looks for
innovative ideas to policing.
“A funding initiative from the Bureau of Justice Administration that partners local law
enforcement agencies with academics to develop and evaluate solutions to chronic crime
problems.”
What is another term for forecasting?
Another term for forecasting is predictive policing. Predictive policing means the
application of crime analysis, data analysis, and statistical predictions to identify targets
for police attention.
What are the differences between “incident” (reactive) driven and problem-oriented
policing?
Incident Driven Policing- When police respond to incident after incident, dealing with each one
and then responding to the next.
In incident driven policing, officers tend to respond to similar incidents at the same
location numerous times. (For example, burglaries in a certain housing project, or car
thefts in a certain parking lot).
Problem Oriented Policing- Forces police to focus on the problems that cause the incidents.
Involves officers thinking, not just responding to yet another call for duty.
What are the four parts of problem-oriented policing?
1. Scanning
2. Analysis
3. Response
4. Assessment
SARA: Acronym for the four parts of the problem-oriented policing strategy: (S)canning,
(A)nalysis, (R)esponse, and (A)ssessment
Scanning- Identifying the neighborhood crime and disorder problems
Analysis- Understanding the conditions that cause the problems to occur
Response- Developing and implementing solutions
Assessment- Determining the impact of the solutions
What is reactive policing?
Reactive policing is generalized by officers responding to calls-for-service.
What is the difference between proactive and reactive policing?
Proactive policing is police action that occurs before a crime is committed, while reactive
policing is activity that occurs after a crime is committed.
What are the four approaches to proactive policing?
1. Place Based- Based on the evidence that crime often is concentrated in small geographic
areas and look to prevent crimes in those areas.
2. Problem Solving- Look to identify problems and their causes and then prevent future
crime by tailoring solutions to affect the cause.
3. Person Focused- Based on the evidence of the strong concentration of crime among a
small population.
4. Community Based- Using the resources of the community to identify and control crime.
What was the purpose of the Kansas City patrol study?
The purpose of the Kansas City patrol study was to test the effectiveness of random
routine patrol.
How did the study change our thinking about policing?
The study was unsuccessful in definitively showing that adding or taking away police
patrols from an area made any difference within the community. As a result, the study
paved the way for the academic study of policing, which in turn has caused astounding
changes in our thinking about policing.
What is the difference between proactive policing and reactive policing?
Proactive Policing- Efforts to seek out and prevent the causes of crime before it happens.
EXAMPLES OF PROACTIVE POLICING
“Hot Spot” Policing- Targeted patrols of specific trouble spots
“Stop and Frisk”- Evidence shows that this method works better in violent-crime hot
spots
“Broken Windows”- The idea that addressing small problems can avert more serious
crimes
Reactive Policing- An activity that happens once a crime has already taken place
Identify strategies associated with proactive policing.
oBroken-Windows
oStop and Frisk
oZero Tolerance
oHot Spot
