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s3-pulling_levers_policing_advocate_w15.pptxPulling Levers Policing ADVOCATE
Introduction
Origins of “pulling levers”
1990s - Boston Gun Project
Policing intervention that combines
Traditional tactics with a strategic focus
Also, incorporates new tools
= strategy that appears both OLD and NEW
More importantly, pulling lever strategies have worked in many jurisdictions
Addressed serious crime problems
Innovative Strategy?
David Kennedy’s Argument:
Pulling Levers Framework
Empirical Evidence
Role of Officer Knowledge
Role of Deterrence
Role of Groups/Networks
Role of Traditional Enforcement
Role of Communication
Limitations
Pulling Levers
Pulling levers strategies (focused deterrence) seek to create a powerful deterrent to
Particular behavior by particular offenders
Deterrence is formed through the deployment of
Basic framework for Pulling Levers:
Specific identification of problem
Interagency enforcement group
Analysis of problem
Intervention
Joint response
Direct communication
Empirical Evidence
Available evaluations and site experience suggest strong effects on crime problems
Evaluations of Boston and Indianapolis
Pulling Levers strategy have some external validity
Basic PL framework successful on various gang structures
E.g., Neighborhood-based groups (Boston and Cincinnati), structured gangs (Chicago, Minneapolis, and Indianapolis), and West cost gangs (Stockton and Los Angeles)
However, the external validity of PL strategies are questionable with respect to the following:
Sustainability of intervention has failed in some cities/jurisdictions
E.g., Baltimore and San Francisco
Other crime problems
Less experience in using PL to tackle other crime problems
Has been used to address
Gang violence (gun assaults and gun homicides)
Drug dealing and drug markets
Domestic violence
Role of Officer Knowledge
Pulling Levers strategies are based on what law enforcement know
Officer knowledge is driven by experience
Chronic problems
People
Places
Street life
Role of Officer Knowledge
Value of frontline knowledge
Qualitative research can draw information out that is crucial to pulling levers strategies
How so???
Role of Deterrence
Pulling Levers strategies are deterrence strategies
Many CJ practitioners are skeptical of deterrence
Why???
Pulling Levers strategies seek to rehab basic deterrence
Focus on chronic offenders
Result = Changing offenders’ behavior without necessarily sending them to jail/prison
Role of Groups and Networks
Pulling levers strategies have focused on groups and networks
Why???
Groups of offenders (small % of population) are responsible for most homicides and other serious crimes
Groups and networks have received little attention from law enforcement
Why???
Legal definition
Variation in knowledge
Pulling Levers strategies can target and affect groups
Conspiracy case/RICO
Drug buys from each member
Identification and monitoring
Analysis of group codes and norms
Role of Traditional Enforcement
Law enforcement prefers to enforce the law
Traditional operational tool kit
E.g., patrol, rapid response, investigation, arrest, prosecution, and jail and prison time
Recall, that research suggests that traditional enforcement strategies are limited in their impact on crime
Law enforcement tend to believe that limited impact is due to the CJ system or social failure
Though frustrated, most CJ officials believe in what they do
Pulling Levers strategies appeal to practitioners
Why???
Balance virtues of law enforcement and agency capacity
Essentially, Pulling Levers strategies repackage traditional tools
Kennedy suggests “old wine in new bottles”
Role of Communication
Communication with offenders is a central component of Pulling Levers strategies
Communication and persuasion are central elements of deterrence process
How so???
One important lesson of Pulling Levers strategies
Direct communication with offenders is powerful!
Direct communication hinges on:
Pulling Levers strategies structure different relationships between authorities and offenders
How so???
Authorities meet with offenders in a setting that is civil and respectful, but that lays out consequences
E.g., Call-ins
Meetings include other elements
Services, and statements by community figures
Contacts between authorities and offenders are repeated, and occur in other settings
E.g., Warnings on the street of problems brewing between particular groups
Pulling Levers strategies pave the way for common ground between authorities and offenders
How so???
Offenders and authorities share goals that can be addressed together
E.g., offenders do not wish to die, do not want to cause family members pain, or want siblings to follow in their footsteps or to be at-risk for violence
Empirical evidence suggests that some offenders respond to and welcome new rules established by PL strategies
Limitations
Uncertainty of the ability of Pulling Levers strategies to address other substantive problems
However, have had large impact on particular problems
E.g., homicide, gun violence, and drug markets
Promising elements of PL strategies can interfere with ability to implement and sustain such interventions
E.g., Baltimore – suffered from political strife
Most of work falls on police departments
Difficult to mobilize and sustain police action
Conclusions
Pulling Levers strategies have elements of promise
Promising elements:
Slow growing appeal of PL strategies to law enforcement agencies
Most police agencies still follow same strategies that Goldstein suggested were not enough to address problems
