Measuring Crime Reduction: Geographical Effects

Abstract

The preponderance of evidence is that the effect of policing upon volume crime rates is marginal, compared with the influence of socio-economic conditions. However, several focused policing styles have been brought into use since the early 1990s with the explicit aim of reducing crime levels, usually by the concentration of efforts upon repeat offenders or repeat victimisation. Moreover, further studies suggest that policing and wider crime reduction efforts may be effective when designed to tackle local problems. This study aims to go some way towards the reconciliation of these viewpoints. It examines the notion that local effectiveness is dissipated, as the geographical unit of measurement of crime levels is widened. Crime levels in an ‘intelligence-led’ police force are considered in relation to the imprisonment of prolific burglary offenders. The conclusion is reached that volume crime reduction is an essentially local activity which should be reflected in performance indicator.