Transcript Early Research Determined….

MODEL ACADEMIC CURRICULUM
MODULE 3
Introduction to Problem-Oriented
Policing
1
Module 3 Topics
• History of POP
• Defining a Problem
• Key Elements of POP
• Why Use POP Today?
2
Early 1970s policing
research determined that….
• Police deal with a range of community
problems; many are not criminal in nature.
• Arrest and prosecution alone do not always
effectively resolve problems.
• Giving officers discretion to design solutions
is extremely valuable to solving problems.
3
Early 1970s policing research
also determined that….
• Police can use a variety of methods to
redress recurrent problems.
• The community values police involvement in
non-criminal problems and recognizes the
contribution the police can make to solving
these problems.
4
Herman Goldstein, Professor of
Law Emeritus at the University
of Wisconsin, is one of the
early founders of the problemoriented approach. His book,
Problem-Oriented Policing,
explains the principles and
methods of POP, provides
examples of POP in practice,
and discusses how a police
agency can implement the
concept.
5
•The Origins of Problem-Oriented Policing: An Interview with Herman Goldstein (70
6
minutes).
Problem-Oriented Policing and
Problem Solving
• Problem-Oriented Policing describes a
comprehensive framework for improving
police capacity to perform their mission.
• Problem Solving is a more limited notion;
it describes the research process that is at
the core of problem-oriented policing.
7
What is a “Problem”?
• One possible definition – “a group of
incidents occurring in a community, that
are similar in one or more ways [emphasis
added], and that are of concern to the
police and the public”
• Problems can be defined or described in
many ways – based on an offense type,
the people involved, where the problem
occurs, when the problem occurs, etc.
8
Key Elements of POP
• A problem is the basic unit of police work rather
than a crime, a case, calls, or incidents.
• A problem is something that concerns or causes
harm to citizens, not just the police. Things that
concern only police are important, but they are not
problems in this sense of the term.
• Addressing problems means more than quick fixes:
it means dealing with conditions that create
problems.
9
Key Elements of POP
• Police officers must routinely and systematically
analyze problems before trying to solve them.
• Individual officers and the department must
develop routines and systems for analyzing
problems.
• The analysis of problems must be thorough, even
though it may not be complicated.
• Problems must be described precisely and
accurately and broken down into specific
components.
10
Key Elements of POP
• Problems must be understood in terms of the
various interests. Individuals/groups have different
ideas.
• The way the problem is currently being handled
must be understood and the limits of effectiveness
must be acknowledged.
• Initially, all possible responses to a problem should
be considered and should follow from what is
learned during the analysis. Responses should not
be limited to, nor rule out, making arrests.
11
Key Elements of POP
• The police must proactively try to solve problems,
rather than just react to the harmful consequences of
problems.
• Departments must increase officer freedom to
make or participate in important decisions. At the
same time, officers must be held accountable for
their decision-making.
• The effectiveness of new responses must be
evaluated so results can be shared with other
officers, and so the department can systematically
learn what does and does not work.
12
Why Use Problem-Oriented Policing?
It is scalable
• It applies to problems with varying levels of complexity, from a single
problem address to a community-wide problem.
It is flexible
• It applies to a variety of substantive problem types, from minor
quality of life issues to serious offenses.
It is applicable
• Though it has roots in crime pattern theory, it is useful to the day-today work of police officers on the street.
It is doable
• Police officers and others can begin using these principles TODAY.
13
Early POP Studies
• Madison PD – Drunk Driving and Repeat
Sex Offenders (1981)
• Newport News – Large-scale evaluation of
POP by the Police Executive Research
Forum (PERF) in 1984, which led to the
development of the SARA model.
14
Problem-Oriented Policing
Today
Video – The final chapter (POP
Today) from The Origins of ProblemOriented Policing: An Interview with
Herman Goldstein (10 minutes).
15