Evidence-Based Policing: A Comparative Analysis of Eight Experimental Studies focused in the area of Targeted Policing
Abstract:
This paper examines targeted policing as a form of evidence-based policing. The paper reviews eight experimental studies related to targeted policing. The main objectives of this paper are (1) to discuss the theoretical perspective for implementation of targeted policing; (2) to discuss empirical evidence for implementation of targeted policing; and (3) to assess the impact of programs that are based on targeted policing philosophy; the focus will be to answer the question: does targeted policing reduce crime? This is assessed by using the Maryland Scientific Methods Scale (1 to 5 point SMS scoring system) to determine the scientific rigor of each study that has evaluated one or more of the proactive police tactics/strategies such as, "hot spots," "second response," and "crackdowns." The overall agenda in this paper is to judge - through an extended literature review - whether targeted policing (as a proactive crime prevention approach) reduces crime, and based on the aggregate results of the eight experimental studies included in this research paper, to make appropriate recommendations for the criminal justice agencies in terms of allocating their resources to the most active crime-prone places and most active offenders by the type of offense.
Keyword:
Targeted Policing, hot spots, crime prevention, evaluations, evidence-based.