Skip to main content

Reducing Crime at High-Crime Places

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Place Management and Crime

Part of the book series: SpringerBriefs in Criminology ((SCP))

  • 198 Accesses

Abstract

What can local governments do to control crime at crime-involved places? Aside from encouraging the radiation of safety (discussed in the previous chapter), there are three approaches. The first approach is police hot spots patrols. Although many studies show that these patrols can temporarily reduce crime, they are not a good foundational strategy when place managers are at the core of the problem. The evidence suggests a better approach is problem-oriented policing. But problem-oriented policing relies on cooperation between police and place managers. When place managers do not cooperate, problem-oriented policing can bog down. Place regulation is the third approach. There are two ways local governments can regulate places. Ends-based regulation has broad applicability to common crimes. Means-based regulation is most useful for special circumstances. The comprehensive strategy with which we close this chapter shows how all three approaches can be used.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Barr, R. & Pease, K. (1990). Crime placement, displacement and deflection. In M. Tonry & N. Morris (Eds.), Crime and justice: A review of research (Vol. 12, pp. 277–318). University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bichler, G., Schmerler, K., & Enriquez, J. (2013). Curbing nuisance motels: An evaluation of police as place regulators. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 36(2), 437–462.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bowers, K. J., Johnson, S. D., Guerette, R. T., Summers, L., & Poynton, S. 2011. Spatial displacement and diffusion of benefits among geographically focused policing initiatives: A meta-analytical review. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 7(4), 347–374.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braga, A. (2001). The effects of hot spots policing on crime. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 578(November), 104–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Braga, A. A. (2005). Hot spots policing and crime prevention: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 1(3), 317–342.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braga, A. A., Weisburd, D. L., Waring, E. J., Mazerolle, L. G., Spelman, W., & Gajewski, F. (1999). Problem-oriented policing in violent crime places: A randomized controlled experiment. Criminology, 37(3), 541–580.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braga, A. A., Papachristos, A. V., & Hureau, D. M. (2014). The effects of hot spots policing on crime: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Justice Quarterly, 31(4), 633–663.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braga, A. A., Welsh, B. C., & Schnell, C. (2015). Can policing disorder reduce crime? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 52(4), 567–588.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braga, A. A., Turchan, B. S., Papachristos, A. V., & Hureau, D. M. (2019). Hot spots policing and crime reduction: An update of an ongoing systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 15(3), 289–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buerger, M. E. (1994). The problems of problem solving. American Journal of Police, 13(3), 1–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. H. (2000). Keeping illegal activity out of rental property: A police guide for establishing landlord training programs. U.S. Department of Justice.

    Google Scholar 

  • Center for Problem-Oriented Policing. (2022). https://popcenter.asu.edu/. Accessed 23 July 2022.

  • Clarke, R. V. G., & Weisburd, D. (1994). Diffusion of crime control benefits: Observations on the reverse of displacement. In R. V. G. Clarke (Ed.), Crime prevention studies (Vol. 2, pp. 165–183). Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clifton, W., Jr. (1987). Convenience store robberies in Gainesville, Florida: An intervention strategy by the Gainesville Police Department. Gainesville Police Department.

    Google Scholar 

  • Desmond, M., & Valdez, N. (2012). Unpolicing the urban poor: Consequences of third-party policing for inner-city women. American Sociological Review, 78(1), 117–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (1993). The threat of crime displacement. Criminal Justice Abstracts, 25(3), 527–546.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (1994). Drug markets and drug places: A case-control study of the spatial structure of illicit drug dealing (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Maryland College Park.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (1997). Do premises liability suits promote business crime prevention? In R. V. Clarke & M. Felson (Eds.), Business and crime prevention (pp. 125–150). Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (2015). There is nothing so theoretical as good practice: Police-researcher coproduction of place theory. In E. Cochbain & J. Knutsson (Eds.), Applied police research (pp. 129–140). Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (2018). Regulation for high-crime places: Theory, evidence, and principles. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 679(1), 106–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E., & Eck, E. B. (2012). Crime place and pollution: Expanding crime reduction options through a regulatory approach. Criminology & Public Policy, 11(2), 281–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellerman, A. D. (2006). Are cap-and-trade programs more environmentally effective than conventional regulations? In J. Freeman & C. D. Kolstad (Eds.), Moving to markets in environmental regulation: Lessons from twenty years of experience (pp. 48–62). Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frederickson, H. G., & LaPorte, T. R. (2002). Airport security, high reliability, and the problem of rationality. Public Administration Review, 62(1), 33–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H. (1979). Improving policing: A problem oriented approach. Crime & Delinquency, 25(2), 236–258.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerette, R. T., & Bowers, K. J. (2009). Assessing the extent of crime displacement and diffusion of benefits: A review of situational crime prevention evaluations. Criminology, 47(4), 1331–1368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hesseling, R. B. P. (1994). Displacement: A review of the empirical literature. In R. V. Clarke (Ed.), Crime prevention studies (Vol. 2, pp. 197–230). Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinkle, J. C., Weisburd, D., Telep, C. W., & Petersen, K. (2020). Problem-oriented policing for reducing crime and disorder: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/cl2.1089

  • Hope, T. (1994). Problem-oriented policing and drug market locations: Three case studies. In R. V. Clarke (Ed.), Crime prevention studies (Vol. 2, pp. 5–32). Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy, D. B., & Hupp, R. T. (1998). Apartment security and litigation: Key issues. Security Journal, 11(1), 21–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mazerolle, L. G., & Ransley, J. (2005). Third party policing. Cambridge University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Payne, T. C. (2016). Reducing excessive police incidents: Do notices to owners work? Security Journal, 28(1), 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Police Executive Research Forum. (2008). Violent crime in America: What we know about hot spots enforcement. Police Executive Research Forum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ratcliffe, J. H. (2014). Schrödinger’s crime hotspot. http://www.jratcliffe/blog/Schrödingers-crime-hotspot

  • Ratcliffe, J. H., Taniguchi, T., Groff, E. R., & Wood, J. D. (2011). The Philadelphia foot patrol experiment: A randomized controlled trial of police patrol effectiveness in violent crime hot spots. Criminology, 49(3), 795–831.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenfeld, R., Deckard, M. J., & Blackburn, E. (2014). The effects of directed patrol and self-initiated enforcement on firearm violence: A randomized controlled study of hot spot policing. Criminology, 52(3), 428–449.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sampson, R. (2007). False burglar alarms (Problem specific guide series, no. 5) (2nd ed.). Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Santos, R. B., & Santos, R. G. (2016). Offender-focused police intervention in residential burglary and theft from vehicle hot spots: A partially blocked randomized control trial. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 12(3), 373–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scott, M. S. (2004). Shifting and sharing police responsibility to address public safety problems. In N. Tilley (Ed.), Handbook of crime prevention and community safety (pp. 385–409). Willan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. W. (1990). Police crackdowns: Initial and residual deterrence. In M. Tonry & N. Morris (Eds.), Crime and justice: A review of research (pp. 1–48). University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. W., & Rogan, D. P. (1995a). Deterrent effects of police raids on crack houses: A randomized controlled experiment. Justice Quarterly, 12(4), 755–782.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. W., & Rogan, D. P. (1995b). Effects of gun seizures on gun violence: ‘Hot spots’ patrol in Kansas City. Justice Quarterly, 12(4), 673–693.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sherman, L. W., & Weisburd, D. L. (1995). General deterrent effects of police patrol in crime ‘hot spots’: A randomized controlled trial. Justice Quarterly, 12(4), 625–648.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow, M. K. (2000). The regulatory craft: Controlling risks, solving problems and managing compliance. Brookings Institution Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sparrow, M. K. (2008). The character of harms: Operational challenges in control. Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Weisburd, D. L., & Green, L. (1995). Policing drug hot spots: The Jersey City drug market analysis experiment. Justice Quarterly, 12(4), 711–735.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weisburd, D. L., & Telep, C. W. (2014). Hot spots policing: What we know and what we need to know. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 30(2), 200–220.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weisburd, D. L., Telep, C. W., Hinkle, J. C., & Eck, J. E. (2010). Is problem-oriented policing effective in reducing crime and disorder? Findings from a Campbell Systematic Review. Criminology & Public Policy, 9(1), 139–172.

    Google Scholar 

  • Worrall, J. L., & Wheeler, A. P. (2019). Evaluating community prosecution code enforcement in Dallas, Texas. Justice Quarterly, 36(5), 870–899.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2023 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Eck, J.E., Linning, S.J., Herold, T.D. (2023). Reducing Crime at High-Crime Places. In: Place Management and Crime. SpringerBriefs in Criminology(). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27693-4_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics