Tagged: defund the police

Police resources and crime solving: A closer look at clearance rate trends in California

by · Nov 8, 2024 2:20 pm

A recent report by the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice (CJCJ) tried to take a stand by exposing poor clearance rates of California law enforcement agencies. They specifically argue that police staffing levels and police spending do not translate to improved clearance rates and actually increase crime.

While clearance rates are an important metric for measuring police effectiveness, the conclusions of the CJCJ report are questionable because the analysis lacks depth and overlooks critical factors related to clearance rates. In this post, I’ll provide additional context to offer a more balanced perspective on the relationship between police resources, clearance rates, and crime rates. Continue reading . . .

The power of communities in crime prevention: Insights from Baltimore

by · Apr 12, 2024 11:08 am

Crime tends to be concentrated in specific areas within cities, with about 50% of crime occurring on just 5% of streets. One police strategy that can help combat this is known as “hot-spot policing,” which has been shown to reduce violent crime in multiple studies.  Another factor that can help reduce crime in an area is when citizens exercise “informal social control.” Informal social control refers to the ability of community members to regulate behavior and maintain order through cohesive relationships, mutual trust, and willingness to intervene.  It involves residents taking actions to prevent and address crime and disorder in their neighborhoods.

One common assumption is that the chatoic and disordered nature of high-crime hot spots renders residents incapable of playing a significant role in crime prevention. However, a new study conducted in Baltimore seems to reveal otherwise.

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Unveiling the impact of depolicing on crime: Insights from Denver’s neighborhoods

by · Mar 1, 2024 3:45 pm

A new research study published in Criminology examined the impact of sudden and sustained reductions in proactive policing (i.e., “de-policing”) on violent crime across neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado, leveraging the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest after the murder of George Floyd as exogenous shocks. The study utilized multilevel models to analyze the impact of large-scale reductions in police stops and drug-related arrests on violent and property crime in the city.

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Efforts to re-fund police amidst rising crime

by · Feb 24, 2022 3:40 pm

Amidst a surge in crime over the last two years, including homicide spikes in both 2020 and 2021, the national conversation is finally moving back toward re-funding the police. On May 8, 2021, President Biden submitted his FY22 budget proposal, which allocated $1.3 billion to law enforcement agencies. According to the budget request, the money would support community policing programs, specialized training and resources, and the hiring of new officers. In a statement made on February 3rd, 2022, the White House re-iterated this point and further urged Congress to direct more funds toward community policing efforts and to provide local departments with federal tools and resources to help them address violent crime. This is a step in the right direction, but given how vague the language is, it is hard to predict how effective his plan will be.

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Police abolition significantly decreases public safety: The CHOP Zone in Seattle

by · Jan 21, 2022 9:00 am

A 2022 study published in the journal of Criminology and Public Policy showed that police abolition significantly increased crime during the 2020 Capitol Hill Occupation Protest (CHOP) in Seattle.

Following the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, tensions between the public and the police increased greatly and protests erupted in cities throughout the United States. Seattle was no exception, with protestors gathering nightly at the Seattle Police Department (SPD)’s East precinct. The protests often turned confrontational and dangerous as people set fires and caused property damage, while officers took to deploying riot control weapons to control the scene. On June 8, 2020, in an attempt to calm the situation, the SPD suddenly abandoned the East precinct, and officers were instructed to no longer patrol nor respond to calls for service in the area unless there was a mass casualty event.

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“Violence interrupters” are not a panacea for violent crime

by · Jan 18, 2022 9:09 am

As city leaders look toward alternatives to traditional policing, one approach that has gained attention is the use of “violence interrupters.” Violence interrupters are people recruited from local communities, particularly those who have a history with gangs or violence, who act as outreach workers and nontraditional caseworkers in areas where crime is occurring. These outreach workers build relationships with individuals who are at-risk for gun violence and work to support healing and address conflict through nonviolent means (e.g., conflict mediation). Some programs might help individuals find housing, education, or employment opportunities. The overarching goal is to change community norms about violence and provide pathways out of violent behavior.

The concept has gathered mainstream support among policymakers, the news media, and politicians alongside the “defund the police” movement. Even the Biden administration has described the approach as an “evidence-based” model. But is it really evidence-based?

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Real police reform requires an increase in officers

by · Jan 3, 2022 4:00 pm

As more and more cities call for defunding the police, large police departments continue to face worsening staff shortages. Defunding the police is meant to be a reform effort, but paradoxically, in many ways it may limit police from doing their jobs well. A recent article in Manhattan Institute’s City Journal describes alternative options for police reform other than defunding, citing community policing, foot patrols, or defensive tactics training — but all of these take time, staff, and money. For example, conflict resolution may be an effective method for resolving problems without resorting to arrest, but it takes longer.

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School resource officers are also being defunded

by · Dec 3, 2021 3:55 pm

As communities across the nation evaluate their policing institutions amidst the “defund the police” movement, many school districts are examining their use of “school resource officers” (SROs), i.e., the use of sworn police officers in schools. Police presence in schools was once viewed as a critical resource in reducing violence in public schools, but recently the conversation has shifted as some call for complete elimination of SRO programs. Critics of SRO programs believe they do more harm than good, citing racial and ethnic disproportionality in school arrests and criminalization of adolescent behavior. At present, jurisdictions from all regions of the country have opted to eliminate their SRO programs, such as Oakland, Portland, Minneapolis, Rochester (NY), Seattle, and Denver. Others, such as Los Angeles, have voted to reduce budget allotments to school police departments.

Proponents of eliminating SRO programs believe in replacing school police with counselors, social workers, and other community-based providers to de-escalate and reduce disturbances while relying on police to respond during emergencies. This decision has sparked controversy though, and a number of jurisdictions remain divided on the issue (e.g., Memphis, the District of Columbia, and San Francisco, to name a few). Regarding California in particular, students have had a state constitutional right to safe schools since 1982, a right widely ignored and rarely even mentioned in conversations regarding the elimination of SRO programs. Students’ rights to safety in schools are even more relevant currently in light of increases in unexpected mass shooting incidents occurring at schools, and many believe that elimination of SRO programs could decrease school safety.

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Defunding the police: An evidence-based approach?

by · May 20, 2021 9:35 am

In the months following the death of George Floyd, there have been an increasing number of protests aimed at taking a stand against police brutality and “defunding” the police. The slogan “defund the police” has since been adopted by various activist groups and is now being seriously debated by politicians and lawmakers across the country. Despite the fact that Americans are mixed on whether they support the idea, the slogan has nonetheless become an increasingly popular political talking point. While the argument that America’s police departments are in need of reform is not without merit, that does not mean that defunding the police is the answer.

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