https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Events
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • Magazine
    • Back
    • Digital Editions
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • Subscribe to GovPro
    • Manage GovPro Subscription
    • Advertise
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
acc.com


Cell phones reduce major urban crimes

Cell phones reduce major urban crimes

A volunteer Cellular Citizens, Crime Watch Project has caused a sharp reduction in major crimes in many Dade County, Fla., neighborhoods, according to
  • Written by American City & County Administrator
  • 1st April 1996

A volunteer Cellular Citizens, Crime Watch Project has caused a sharp reduction in major crimes in many Dade County, Fla., neighborhoods, according to a recently published Florida International University (FIU) evaluation. The use of cellular phones by local crime watch groups ted to dramatic overall decreases in burglaries, robberies and thefts in 11 neighborhoods during the nine-month study period.

“The Dade County Neighborhood Cellular Watch Project is of value to communities experiencing an increasing or an existing crime problem,” says Mark Rosenberg, dean of FIU’s College of Urban and Public Affairs, which conducted the study.

FIU’s researchers found that within the combined 11 neighborhoods.

* Burglaries decreased 33 percent, from 341 to 229;

* Robberies decreased 24 percent, from 42 to 31; and

* Thefts decreased 9 percent, from 77 to 70.

Other positive effects of the project that were listed included.

* Volunteers believed that crime had decreased in their neighborhoods. Even volunteers who seldom used the phone believed that its use, or its potential use, had a deterrent effect upon the criminal element in their neighborhoods;

* Volunteers who had been Citizens, Crime Watch members for many years said the cellular phone renewed their feelings about their ability to make positive changes in their neighborhoods;

* Response to in-progress events by police appeared to be faster, according to many participating volunteers;

* Volunteers said they were willing to call police more readily about suspicious persons and other non-emergency situations. Without access to a cellular phone, their choices were not to call, to find a pay phone or wait until they arrived home; and

* The project brought neighborhoods and local police officers closer together.

“I see this cellular project as a model for other communities across the country,” says Ellen Johnson, president of Citizens’ Crime Watch of Dade County. “The cellular phone is a highly beneficial tool that provides extra eyes and ears to alert police during emergencies.”

“The use of phones appears to have a displacement effect,” says Fred Taylor, director of the MetroDade Police Department. “Criminals avoid neighborhoods with active cellular crime watch groups as opposed to neighborhoods without such a program.”

“The program also enables crime watchers to maintain contact with the police during in-progress crimes, thus providing police officers continuous, updated information while directing them to offenders,” he says.

The 12-month pilot project, which concluded in November 1995, was organized by a public-private partnership that included Citizens, Crime Watch of Dade County (a community-based operator), AT&T Wireless Services (a corporate provider), the Metro-Dade Police Department (a law enforcement provider) and FIU.

AT&T made a 12-month donation of 50 cellular phones and 200 minutes of free air time per phone each month.

Because of the project’s success, the company recently renewed its support in phones and air time for an additional 12-month period.

The FIU evaluation indicated that the best example of crime reduction occurred in Cloverleaf Apartments, a North Dade neighborhood that had been considered a high-crime area.

Burglaries fell 35 percent from 199 during the comparable nine-month period in 1993-1994 to 130 during the study period.

The project also led to the creation of a Neighborhood Response Team in Cloverleaf Apartments.

The Cellular Citizens, Crime Watch Project was launched in 1994 through the efforts of Bay Proby, president of Proby & Associates, Miami, and a former board member of the crime-fighting organization.

Lt. Jerry Rudoff, Metro-Dade Police Department’s Community Policing Bureau, formulated a plan to use the cellular phones in the 11 neighborhoods.

Neighborhoods that participated in the project were selected for geographic and ethnic diversity, as well as varying degrees of crime problems, current state of community and extent of neighborhood involvement and willingness to participate in the project.

Also, neighborhoods had to be active members of Citizens, Crime Watch in order to participate.

Volunteers from each neighborhood were instructed by crime watch and AT&T personnel about the use of the phones, safety issues concerning the reporting of crimes, liability and record keeping.

According to the research, each neighborhood did things its own way, based on personalities, level of crime and other factors.

Tags:

Related


  • How city leaders can develop, manage and maintain strategic partnerships
    Now more than ever, the pandemic and economic crisis have exacerbated the need for municipal leaders to collaborate with other sectors including nonprofit, business, and philanthropy
  • Baltimore will distribute recycling carts to residents to encourage recycling
    Approximately 200,000 residents in Baltimore who receive trash removal or recycling pickup services from the city will receive new recycling carts this Spring to encourage recycling. The new program is part of a public-private partnership, funded by solid waste producers like Coca-Cola and Amazon, and subsidizes recycling cart programs, recycling education campaigns and other initiatives for […]
  • Buffalo, N.Y.'s 48 hours to navigate a mission-critical transition to remote work
    In Buffalo, N.Y., 311 is a vital lifeline for the city, providing an always-on call resource for the city’s 250,000 residents to reach city government. When the COVID-19 pandemic prompted a stay-at-home order, city officials knew a surge of calls was coming, and they needed to act fast to keep their front-line communications channel open. […]
  • Discover How Public Sector Officials are Monitoring and Managing Overtime in This New White Paper
    Overtime has been out of control in some states and localities, especially with high vacancy rates in certain positions. Although overtime is necessary to ensure essential work gets done, some entities lack consistent overtime policies and monitoring practices. Considering that overtime is top of mind for many in the public sector, I thought you might […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Cooperative agreements and other tools can help lean-staffed procurement squads
  • Three ways the public sector can minimize remote workforce PC refresh headaches
  • Cintas Kicks-off Eighth-Annual Nationwide Custodian of the Year Contest
  • Tyler Technologies to acquire NIC

White papers


Discover How Public Sector Officials are Monitoring and Managing Overtime in This New White Paper

22nd February 2021

How to Assemble a Successful Government Grant Proposal

5th February 2021

The Rise of Procurement’s Next Normal

5th February 2021
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

ASCE releases 2021 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure dlvr.it/Rtvck5

3rd March 2021
AmerCityCounty

Updating the assessor report: A new approach dlvr.it/RttvDv

3rd March 2021
AmerCityCounty

2020 Crown Communities winner: Phases 2 and 3 of Minot, N.D.’s Mouse River Enhanced Flood Protection Plan dlvr.it/RtrWMC

3rd March 2021
AmerCityCounty

Rethinking worker’s compensation with alternative dispute resolution dlvr.it/RtqmMx

2nd March 2021
AmerCityCounty

2020 Crown Communities winner: Harris County, Texas, Precinct 2’s ACCESS2HEALTH SmartPod dlvr.it/Rtm06B

1st March 2021
AmerCityCounty

How technology can ensure equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine dlvr.it/RtlLNC

1st March 2021
AmerCityCounty

American City & County’s 2020 Exemplary Public Servant of the Year Award dlvr.it/RtZbX2

26th February 2021
AmerCityCounty

American City & County’s 2020 Crown Communities Awards dlvr.it/RtZbVz

26th February 2021

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2021 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X