taking notes
basil8850
chapter_5.pptxProblem-Oriented Policing Chapter 5
Problem-Oriented Policing
A problem well stated is a problem half solved.
Charles Kettering
The Problem-Oriented Policing component is a concerted effort on the part of the police and community to resolve the causes of criminal activity and order maintenance issues rather than the symptoms
Problem-Oriented Policing addresses a particular problem, analyzes the problem, determines a course of action, implements the program, the evaluates the response.
If the problem is resolved then the police and community only have to keep the problem in check. If it is not resolved, alternative solutions are generated and implemented
Problem-Oriented Policing
The goal of problem-oriented policing is for the police and community to work together in solving problems that cannot be solved by traditional police work or that needs special attention in the form of developing a tailor-made response for a particular problem and/or situation
Problem-Oriented Policing
The concept of problem-oriented policing was not created within the parameters of COP, but separately and at relatively the same time.
Goldstein studied the police response to various types of crime and developed an alternative to improve the police response
Goldstein’s concept attempted to create a more efficient response to repetitive problems
Problem-Oriented Policing
At about the same time James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling developed the Broken Windows Theory which would be the catalyst for community-oriented policing
POP is part of community-oriented policing. They are two different philosophies
Problem-oriented policing relies on and supports community-oriented policing but it is not syn0nymous with COP
Problem-Oriented Policing
Problem-oriented policing may not be synonymous with community-oriented policing , but community policing is synonymous with problem-oriented policing.
Problem-oriented policing was designed on its own and can operate and function on its own without the implementation of COP
However, COP cannot be implemented without the assistance of the problem-oriented policing approach. Therefore, COP is synonymous with POP.
See Table 5-1 Page 104 for a comparison
Problem-Oriented Policing
Goldstein’s study was conducted as a result of the ineffectiveness of policing styles in the 1960’s and the demands for a change in the way the police conducted their business.
Goldstein’s article successfully showed that the police focus on how to deal with the means of a situation rather than the ends.
By dealing with the ends, the police would have a better rate of success in the multitude of problems they face.
Problem-Oriented Policing
Many of the same problems with POP became apparent in COP
They were only partially implemented and/or implemented in name only.
They were being broadly defined which created the risk that the theories would be drained of much of their legitimate meaning.
Problem-Oriented Policing
Goldstein tried to clarify POP. He cited 5 concerns as strongly influencing its creation
The police field is preoccupied with management, internal procedures, and efficiency to the exclusion of appropriate concern for effectiveness in dealing with problems. With look at the short term, not the long term
The police devote most of their resources to responding to calls from citizens, reserving too small a percentage of their time and energy for acting on their own initative to prevent or reduce crime and disorder problems (we like to keep the criminal in charge of how we spend our time)
Problem-Oriented Policing
The community is a major resource with an enormous potential, largely untapped, for reducing the number and magnitude of problems that otherwise become the business of the police. (Because of our own ineffectiveness we may not have time to be proactive)
Within their agencies, police have readily available to them another huge resource their rank and file officers, whose time and talents have not been used effectively.
Efforts to improve policing have often failed because they have not been adequately related to the overall dynamics and complexity of the police organization. Adjustments in policing and organizational structure are required to accommodate and support change
Problem-Oriented Policing
COPS IN ACTION
Underage Drinking Page 106
Problem-Oriented Policing
National Institute of Justice Problem-Oriented Policing Study (Newport News, Virginia)
Five areas of police research contributed to the formulation and implementation of problem-oriented policing
Effectiveness
Community
Problem studies and how police handle the problem
Discretion
Management
Problem-Oriented Policing
More recent research has found that problem-oriented policing can be extremely beneficial when linked with researchers
Researchers have the capability to bring their skills into the evacuation process of POP in order to assess the effectiveness of a response.
What could a partnership with UVU and specifically a partnership with the Criminal Justice program bring to local communities and students
Problem-Oriented Policing
The Federal Government
COPS and COPS Grants
Center for Problem-Oriented Policing
Offers guides to specific problems
Funding cut in 2014 (still online)
Problem-Oriented Policing
COPS Grants Requirements - Points and whether you get the money are determined by COP and POP
Problem-Oriented Policing
COPS Grants
Problem-Oriented Policing
COPS Grants
Problem-Oriented Policing
COPS Grants
Problem-Oriented Policing
Problem-Oriented Policing
Implementation of POP
Goldstein provides the framework and outlines the progression of steps from identifying the problem to evaluating the problem in logical and a concise order. The process is critical to understanding problem-oriented policing and how it integrates with community-oriented policing
Implementation of POP
Goldstein begins his method with the identification of the problem. He identifies a problem as consisting of three components
A cluster of similar, related or recurring events rather than a single incident
A substantive community concern
A unit of police business
Implementation of POP
Goldstein specifically states that in identifying the problem it is important to select those clustered, reoccurring problems and identify the sole problem solved
A police officer will respond to a variety of calls at a particular location although each call may be uniquely different, the calls can be grouped together as a problem focusing on that particular location, as opposed to one situational problem
Implementation of POP
A central theme to community-oriented policing is who identifies the problem
The community should be concerned with identifying those things the community members perceived as the problem because under his definition of problem it must be a “substantive community concern” and this can only be recognized by the community.
The police, including rank and file officers should also be involved.
Implementation of POP
You cannot address every problem they must be prioritized
Considerations
The impact of the problem on the community
The presence of life threatening conditions
Community interest and degree of support
The potential threat to constitutional rights
The degree to which the problem effects the relationship between the police and public
The interest of rank and file officers
The concreteness of the problem (is it overly vague)
The potential that the exploration will lead to solving the problem
Implementation of POP
The list must be fluid, subject to change and reranking
It should be a living and list of items of greatest concern to the public
Goldstein indicates that the substantive problem must be addressed, rather than those ancillary to the issue. The root of the problem. The actual illness, not the symptom
Implementation of POP
The inquiry must be an in-depth probe, gathering as much information as possible, to acquire the knowledge necessary to address the real source of the problem
Sources may include; police files, rank and file officers, victims, the larger community, those causing the problem, other agencies, nearby communities
No stone should be left unturned.
This is time consuming and takes abundant resources.
Implementation of POP
COPS IN ACTION
Page 112-115
Implementation of POP
A simple crime may have compounding effects on a community as a result of its presence.
Heroin use in a community may also bring vehicle, residential and business burglaries, loud parties, assaults and robberies, excessive weeds and run down properties, etc.
Goldstein indicates that the community should identify and address each of these multiple concerns
Implementation of POP
The police and the community should work together to create a solution to the problem that is acceptable to both parties.
The solutions should be a tailor-made response and not a blanket response as is so often the case in police work
Several alternative solutions should be developed. The police and community must have free rein to brainstorm solutions that have no limiting criteria placed on them
Implementation of POP
Any single tailor made response is likely to consist of a blend of alternatives. The integration of various aspects from various alternatives is acceptable
Implementation of POP
Considerations according to Goldstein
The potential that the response has to reduce the problem
The specific impact that the response will have on the most serious aspect of the problem
The extent to which the problem is preventative, reduces reoccurrences, or more acute consequences
The degree to which the response intrudes upon the lives of individuals, potential legal sanctions, and potential use of force
The attitudes of the community
The financial costs
The availability of police authority and resources
The legality and civility of the response and how it will effect the police/citizen relationship
The ease with witch the response can be implemented
Implementation of POP
Once a choice has been made it is important to implement the solution in a timely manner and too not make excessive alterations just because some people think it may not work
A tailor-made response will require a tailor-made method of evaluation
Pre/post analysis
A survey
Police data analysis
Others
The evaluation must be done in a fair and unbias manner to assess the viability of the program. Don’t alter the data to make yourself look good.
The Problem-Solving Process
SARA – A method for locating and solving problems
SCANNING
ANALYSIS
RESPONSE
ASSESSMENT
The Problem-Solving Process
COPS IN ACTION – Page 118-119
The Problem-Solving Process
The scanning stage of SARA involves reviewing the various calls and complaints in a neighborhood and attempting to identify a problem.
It should involve every member of the department
Seek information from the community, schools, neighborhood watch groups.
The Problem-Solving Process
The second stage of SARA, the analysis stage has two objectives.
To obtain as much information as possible on the problem and to develop a full understanding of the problem.
The officer may use a checklist to gather information in a methodical manner by addressing three categories of problem characteristics (Actors, Incidents, Responses)
Once this is completed the seconds part of the analysis stage, developing the response begins.
A variety of responses should be considered.
The Problem-Solving Process
Sample Checklist
Actors
Victims
Lifestyles
Security measures taken
Victimization history
Offenders
Identity and physical description
Lifestyle, education, employment history
Criminal History
Third Parties
Personal data
Connection to victimization
The Problem-Solving Process
Incidents
Sequence of events
Events preceding the event
The event itself
Events following the event
Physical Contact
Time
Location
Access control and surveillance
Social Context
Likelihood and probably actions of witnesses
Apparent attitude of residents towards the neighborhood
The Problem-Solving Process
Responses
Community
Neighborhood affected by the problem
City as a whole
People outside the city
Institutional
Criminal Justice agencies
Other public agencies
Mass Media
Business Sector
The Problem-Solving Process
The third stage of SARA is the response stage. There are two objectives
Select a solution
Implement it
The necessity of developing multiple responses becomes clear in this stage. Without a variety of stages the officer would be forced to implement only one or two courses of action which may not be enough to solve the problem.
Goldstein, “once a response is selected it must be implemented without reservation and allowed to reach the final stage
The Problem-Solving Process
The response is broken down into one of five categories to help show what it is attempting to accomplish (provide the goal of the response)
Solutions designed to totally eliminate the problem
Solutions designed to substantially reduce the problem
Solutions designed to reduce the harm caused
Solutions designed to deal with a problem better
Solutions designed to remove the problem from police consideration
The Problem-Solving Process
The final stage, the Assessment
The type of problem and the group of the solution determines how it will be evaluated.
Every Problem is different, so different types of evaluation are necessary
The goal of this stage is too provide feedback to the police and community and too help determine whether the response solved the problem and/or whether another response is needed.
The Problem-Solving Process
Four steps of assessment
The model should allow for all members of the department to participate
It should use a wide variety of information
It should encourage a variety of responses and not be limited to the typical police responses
It should ensure that the program is reproducible in any department
SARA was designed to accomplish this
Center for Problem-Oriented Policing | Case Studies and Databases
