Transcript Module 4 – The SARA Model - Center for Problem

Model Academic Curriculum
Module 4
The SARA Process
Scanning, Analysis,
Response, & Assessment
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Module 4 Topics
• The SARA Process
• Problem Solving Case Studies
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The SARA Process
•SCANNING
•ANALYSIS
•RESPONSE
•ASSESSMENT
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Scanning
• Identifying recurring problems
• Prioritizing the problems
• Developing broad goals
• Confirming that the problems exist
• Determining how often the problem occurs and how
long it has been a concern
• Selecting problems for closer examination
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Methods of Identifying Problems
• Analyzing calls for service, crime data and
agency records for patterns and trends involving
repeat locations, victims and offenders
• Mapping specific crimes by time of day,
proximity to locations, and other similar factors
• Consulting officers, supervisors, detectives, midlevel managers and command staff
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Methods of Identifying Problems
• Reviewing police reports
• Surveying the community
• Reviewing citizen complaints
• Participating in community meetings
• Reviewing information from neighborhood associations
and nonprofit organizations
• Consulting social service/governmental agencies
• Following media coverage and editorials
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Identifying Stakeholders
• Local service/government agencies with
jurisdiction or an interest in the problem.
• Victims of the problem, and/or associations
representing victims
• Neighbors, coworkers, friends and relatives
of victims or neighborhood residents
affected by the problem
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Identifying Stakeholders
• Agencies or people that have some control
over offenders
• Commercial establishments adversely
impacted by the crime or disorder problem
• National organizations or trade associations
with an interest in the problem.
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In Class Exercise
• Identify and make a list of stakeholders for the following
types of crimes/problems:
– Speeding in residential neighborhoods
– Vandalism in and around schools
– Sexual assaults on college campuses
– Loitering around bus terminals
– Drug dealing in public housing areas
– Burglaries of local businesses
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Analysis
• Identifying and understanding events and conditions
that precede and accompany the problem
• Identifying relevant data to collect
• Researching what is known about the problem type
• Taking inventory of how the problem is being
addressed and any strengths/limitations of the
current response
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Analysis
• Narrowing the scope of the problem
• Identifying resources that may be of
assistance in developing a deeper
understanding of the problem
• Developing a working hypothesis about
why the problem is occurring; is it really
occurring??
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Reasons Why Analysis is
Sometimes Overlooked/Skipped
• The nature of the problem sometimes falsely
appears obvious at first glance
• There may be some tremendous internal and
external pressure to solve the problem
immediately.
• The pressure of responding to calls does not
seem to allow for time for detailed inquiries into
the nature of the problem.
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Reasons Why Analysis is
Sometimes Overlooked/Skipped
• Investigating/researching the problem does not
seem like “real” police work
• Supervisors may not value analytical work that
takes time but does not produce arrests, citations
or other traditional measures of police work.
• In many communities a strong commitment to the
old ways of handling problems prevents looking at
the problem in different ways.
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Resources for Analyzing Problems
Depends on the problem, but here are some general
examples of resources:
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Crime analysts
Crime analysis/report-writing software
Mapping/geographic information systems
Technical assistance
Resident/business surveys
Crime environment surveys
Interviews with victims and offenders
Systems for tracking repeat victimization
Training
Laptop computers
Modems/online services
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Response
• Brainstorming for new interventions
• Searching for what other communities with similar
problems have done
• Choosing among the alternative interventions
• Outlining a response plan and identifying
responsible parties
• Stating the specific objectives for the response plan
• Carrying out the planned activities
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Response Reminders
• The responses should be directly linked to the results of your
analyses
• Try not to limit responses to the police. Other agencies may
need to be involved and take some responsibility
• Responses should be manageable given the resources,
available time, and urgency in solving the problem
• A variety of potential responses may be more effective than
a single response in some situations.
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Assessment
• Collecting pre- and post-response qualitative and quantitative
data
• Process Evaluation
– Determining whether the plan was implemented
– Determining whether broad goals and objectives were attained
– Identifying any new strategies needed to augment the original plan
– Better handling of incidents and improved response to the problem
– Conducting ongoing assessment to ensure continued effectiveness
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Positive Impacts on Problems
• Total elimination of the problem
• Fewer incidents
• Less serious or harmful incidents
• Better handling of the incidents/improved response to
the problem
• Removing the problem from police consideration. (See
Shifting and Sharing Guide)
• Diffusion of benefits
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SCANNING
ANALYSIS
RESPONSE
ASSESSMENT
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SCANNING
ANALYSIS
ASSESSMENT
RESPONSE
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Problem Solving Case Study
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Gainesville, Florida
Robbery Case Study
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Gainesville, Florida
Convenience Store Robberies
SCANNING
– Police noticed a increase in convenience
store robberies in the Spring in 1985
Does this fall within the definition of
a problem?
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Gainesville, Florida
Convenience Store Robberies
ANALYSIS
– Officers researched what other departments
were doing with similar Robbery problems
– Gainesville Robbery data showed:
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average of 72 robberies annually
47 different stores were robbed
45 were robbed at least once
some robbed as many as 14 times
75% occurred between 7pm - 5 am
only one clerk on duty during 92% of robberies
robber waited for clerk to be alone in 85% of robberies
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Gainesville, Florida
Convenience Store Robberies
ANALYSIS
– Department researched IACP, NCJRS, National
Association of Convenience Stores
– Checked with other jurisdictions
• found that the State of Ohio had addressed similar
problem and adopted several ordinances
• required training for clerks
• minimal cash on hand
• drop safes
• clear view of counter from outside
• adequate lighting in parking lot
• Kent, Ohio reduced robberies by 74%
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Gainesville, Florida
Convenience Store Robberies
RESPONSE
– a partnership with convenience store owners formed
– improved natural surveillance/ordinance required 2
clerks on duty during late night hours
– improved lighting inside and outside
– window obstructions (sales signs) removed
– limited cash handling policies implemented
– drop boxes installed
– upgraded access control through fences and walls to
slow robbers and removal of obstacles to hide
– enhanced formal surveillance through alarm and video
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cameras; encouraged visits by police to stores
Gainesville, Florida
Convenience Store Robberies
ASSESSMENT
– a 6 month study conducted in 1987
– robberies decreased by 65% from the same period in
the previous year
– 1988 study showed 70% reduction from 1986
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Other Problem Solving
Examples
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Apartment Complex Crime in Santa Barbara, CA
Scanning
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Police received high numbers of disturbance, littering, and vehicle
crime complaints from an apartment complex. Owner resisted efforts
to improve the property.
Analysis
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Owner had 34 other properties in the city, many in disrepair and
requiring a disproportionate amount of police services.
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Apartments were dirty, illegally subdivided, in violation of fire and
building codes. For the prior year, 758 arrestees had listed these
apartments as their residence.
Response
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Toured a well-maintained property with owner; asked residents to
maintain logs; photographed poor living conditions; prosecuted
slumlord.
Assessment
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Ongoing. As a condition of probation, owner must appear in court
monthly to document progress.
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Group Homes in Fresno, CA
Scanning
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Fresno had 40 group homes that served many functions, from placement
of juvenile offenders to juveniles removed from dysfunctional homes.
Analysis
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Group homes generated over 1,000 calls for problems ranging from
assaults to runaways. Officers becoming “supplemental staff” at the
homes; they were sometimes called just to scare the children.
Five of the 40 homes accounted for 50% of calls; eight for 75%.
Response
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Convened individuals responsible for regulating group homes (e.g.,
probation, social services). Arranged regular meetings so that those who
ran homes without problems could assist others with problem-solving.
Assessment
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Calls in the first year dropped by 300. Two officers estimated it took less
than 40 hours to study the problem, implement response, and assess the
impact.
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Disorder Reduction in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Scanning
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Broadway Street was a high-crime area marked by litter, broken alcohol bottles, and
homeless people who were often drunk and disorderly. Sixteen taverns operated in a
three-block area.
Analysis
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Interviews conducted with residents and business owners.
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Analysis of offense reports revealed that approximately 20 people were responsible for
most of the complaints. Problem taverns produced shootings, stabbings, and
prostitution.
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Analysis of building designs highlighted many deficiencies (e.g., dark alleys).
Response
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Enforcement of public ordinances on open intoxicants, trespassing, and lewd behavior.
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Gain cooperation from liquor store and tavern owners in denying alcohol to habitually
intoxicated people.
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Improved maintenance, lighting, and access control.
Assessment
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The area experienced a 65% reduction in police calls and a 91% reduction in demand
for rescue services to handle injuries stemming from assaults. Five problematic taverns
were closed through joint efforts by community policing officers and citizens.
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Traffic Accidents in Arlington, Virginia
Scanning
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During 1999, 4,082 accidents were reported to police. Due to
underreporting, the actual number of accidents was estimated to be three
times higher.
Analysis
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GIS was used to identify accident hotspots. Using a threshold of at least ten
accidents in the preceding twelve months, 49 hotspots were identified.
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Accident reports were analyzed to determine most prevalent times,
prevailing road conditions, and likely causes. Officers observed hotspots at
various times of day.
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Interviews were conducted with individuals involved in accidents.
Response
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Problem-solving training for traffic officers, installation of turn-lane arrows,
reconfiguration of light cycles. Ongoing at time of publication.
Assessment
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Regular meetings are held to determine progress. Officers are evaluated not
only on their effectiveness in reducing accidents, but on their ability to
incorporate problem-solving principles.
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Disorderly Youth in New York City
Scanning
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Revealed a high number of neighborhood disruptions and fights
because students were being dismissed from two high schools at
the same time.
Analysis
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Schools’ dismissal procedures contributed to the problem.
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Students were dismissed at almost exactly the same time to the
same block. Students were full of energy, and petty rivalries soon
turned into confrontations.
Response
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Spoke with administrators at both schools and persuaded them to
stagger dismissal times by 25 minutes and direct departing
students in opposite directions.
Assessment
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Revealed a 70% reduction in after-school disorder problem.
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Exercise 1
• You are a commander thinking about adopting a
problem-oriented policing approach within your district.
• First, consider the general problems that might be
addressed in your district. Now, think more specifically
about those general problems. For example, if robbery
is a concern, what kind of robbery, where and when is it
occurring, who are the victims, who are the likely
offenders, etc.
• Second, what data or information sources might you
have available to help you narrow the focus of your
specific problem?
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Exercise 2
• Once you’ve selected a problem type on
which to focus your resources, one of the
difficult new skills to learn is how to
conduct a comprehensive analysis.
• What kinds of “internal” and “external”
evidence might you use in the analysis?
• Use one of the problem types selected by
a member of your group.
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Exercise 3
• Choose a Goldstein Award Finalist project from
1993 to the present.
• Read the paper and review and critique the SARA
process. Are there any other steps that might
have been taken for that specific project to be
more successful?
• If that project were implemented in your
city/county, what steps or responses might need to
change?
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