Evaluation of a Hot Spot Policing Field Experiment in St. Louis, 2012 - 2014 (ICPSR 36129)

Version Date: Dec 7, 2017

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Principal Investigator(s):
Richard Rosenfeld, University of Missouri - St. Louis

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36129.v1

Version V1

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Summary

These data are part of NACJDs Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

The two central objectives of this project were (1) to evaluate the effect on crime of a targeted patrol strategy mounted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) and (2) to evaluate the researcher-practitioner partnership that underlay the policing intervention.

The study addressed the following research questions:

  1. Do intensified police patrols and enforcement in crime hot spots result in larger reductions in firearm assaults and robberies than in similar areas subject to routine police activity?
  2. Do specific enforcement tactics decrease certain type of crime?
  3. Which enforcement tactics are most effective?
  4. Does video surveillance reduce crime?
  5. How does the criminal justice system respond to firearm crime?
  6. Do notification meetings reduce recidivism?
  7. Does community unrest increase crime?
  8. Did crime rates rise following the Ferguson Killing?

To answer these questions, researchers used a mixed methods data collection plan, including interviews with local law enforcement, surveillance camera footage, and conducting ride-alongs with officers.

Citation

Rosenfeld, Richard. Evaluation of a Hot Spot Policing Field Experiment in St. Louis, 2012 - 2014. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2017-12-07. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36129.v1

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Funding

United States Department of Justice. Office of Justice Programs. National Institute of Justice (2012-IJ-CX-0042)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

District

Restrictions

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reasons for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
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Time Period(s)

2012-01 -- 2013-10

Date of Collection

2013-01 -- 2014-12

Data Collection Notes

  1. These data are part of NACJDs Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers.Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

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Study Purpose

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of targeted patrol strategy interventions on crime and to evaluate the researcher-practitioner partnership underlying the policing intervention.

Study Design

Two of the hot spots in each district were randomly chosen as areas for intensified police activity. Police patrols were increased over normal levels in one of these "treatment" areas. In the other treatment area, patrol strength was increased and officers were instructed to engage in heightened enforcement activity (e.g., arrests, building checks, pedestrian checks, vehicle checks, foot patrols). The remaining two hot spots in each district were designated as control areas subject to normal police activity. Surveillance cameras were also installed in high crime locations to see if the presence of a camera would reduce crime. The intervention was carried out over a nine-month period.

Sample

Thirty-two hot spots (4 hot spots in each of the 8 participating police districts in St. Louis, Missouri) were identified through a geospatial analysis of citywide crime patterns during the year prior to the intervention. Cases were randomly selected throughout crime hot spots and allocated to treatment and control conditions.

Time Method

Cross-sectional

Universe

Police Officers of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department patrolling crime hot spots in St. Louis Missouri.

Unit(s) of Observation

Crime Incidents

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Description of Variables

The data file (hotspots_final-2.sav, n = 64) includes 32 variables such as police district, number of street segments in a hot spot, police initiated activities (arrests, pedestrian checks, vehicle checks, building checks, and foot patrols) and types of crime (non-domestic assault, domestic assault, homicide, and robbery).

Response Rates

Not applicable

Presence of Common Scales

none

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Original Release Date

2017-12-07

Version History

2018-02-15 The citation of this study may have changed due to the new version control system that has been implemented. The previous citation was:
  • Rosenfeld, Richard. Evaluation of a Hot Spot Policing Field Experiment in St. Louis, 2012 - 2014. ICPSR36129-v1. Ann Arbor, MI: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2017-12-07. http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36129.v1
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Weight

none

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Notes

  • These data are part of NACJD's Fast Track Release and are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped by NACJD for release, but not checked or processed except for the removal of direct identifiers. Users should refer to the accompanying readme file for a brief description of the files available with this collection and consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

  • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.