Evaluation of a Hot Spot Policing Field Experiment in St. Louis, 2012 - 2014 (ICPSR 36129)
Version Date: Dec 7, 2017 View help for published
Principal Investigator(s): View help for Principal Investigator(s)
Richard Rosenfeld, University of Missouri - St. Louis
https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36129.v1
Version V1
Summary View help for 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:
- 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?
- Do specific enforcement tactics decrease certain type of crime?
- Which enforcement tactics are most effective?
- Does video surveillance reduce crime?
- How does the criminal justice system respond to firearm crime?
- Do notification meetings reduce recidivism?
- Does community unrest increase crime?
- 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.
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Funding View help for Funding
Subject Terms View help for Subject Terms
Geographic Coverage View help for Geographic Coverage
Smallest Geographic Unit View help for Smallest Geographic Unit
District
Restrictions View help for 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) View help for Distributor(s)
Time Period(s) View help for Time Period(s)
Date of Collection View help for Date of Collection
Data Collection Notes View help for Data Collection Notes
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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.
Study Purpose View help for 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 View help for 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 View help for 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 View help for Time Method
Universe View help for Universe
Police Officers of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department patrolling crime hot spots in St. Louis Missouri.
Unit(s) of Observation View help for Unit(s) of Observation
Data Type(s) View help for Data Type(s)
Mode of Data Collection View help for Mode of Data Collection
Description of Variables View help for 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 View help for Response Rates
Not applicable
Presence of Common Scales View help for Presence of Common Scales
none
HideOriginal Release Date View help for Original Release Date
2017-12-07
Version History View help for Version History
- 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
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.