Problem-oriented policing (POP)

Problem-oriented policing (POP) is a method of reducing crime by looking at the factors that cause it. Instead of simply arresting people who commit crimes, police officials look for patterns in the crimes they are encountering and take steps to eliminate situations that lead to crime and develop strategies to meet certain goals. For example, in a town where many arrests are made for possession and sale of illegal drugs, the police might identify a street with a number of abandoned homes that are used for drug sales and take steps to have the homes torn down. The technique is not always effective. When it is, however, it not only reduces crime but often also benefits the community in other ways.

Background

The problem-oriented policing approach originated in the 1970s. Police officials and researchers became increasingly interested in the aspects of policing that were outside the usual functions of a police officer. They noticed that arresting people committing crimes and putting them in jail did not actually solve many crime problems. While police traditionally spent much of their time patrolling various neighborhoods, responding to calls about crimes, and conducting investigations into crimes that had already occurred, new functions were emerging. Police were increasingly called to situations that were not criminal in nature but required an authority figure to resolve or de-escalate.

For example, large numbers of teenagers might gather in a public park or near a particular building or street corner. Although the teens were not doing anything illegal, their presence and the noise such a group makes were disturbing nearby residents and businesses. The police were called; they dispersed the teens. This appeased the residents and businesses, but the teens reassembled somewhere else or returned at another time. In some cases, they might take revenge by vandalizing nearby homes, businesses, and vehicles.

In 1979, professor Herman Goldstein proposed that police shift their focus from reactive policing—reacting to crimes by arresting people committing them—to a proactive focus by identifying causes of crime and taking steps to minimize or eliminate these agents and work with community members to develop solutions. The causes might include social issues, mental health issues, substance abuse issues, homelessness, and other problems that make crime more likely. Goldstein used the term problem-oriented policing to refer to his suggested approach.

In the situation with the gathering of teens, for instance, police might determine that there are few activities for teens and few acceptable places for them to get together. Anticipating that these conditions might lead some to turn to undesirable and even illegal behavior, the police take a proactive approach. They might meet with local community organizations that initiate activities or create a center where teens can gather.

Overview

The model most often applied to problem-oriented policing is the scanning, analysis, response, and assessment (SARA) model. Scanning means that the officers look for, identify, and prioritize situations that can lead to crime. The officers and police officials then study and analyze the situations by gathering related information and talking to people in the area to identify the solutions that are most likely to work. Once a probable solution is found, authorities will design and initiate an appropriate plan of action. Finally, they will assess the situation to see if the solution had the desired results.

Another approach is the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS). This approach is similar to SARA but separates some of the functions into more than one step. The five-step process includes identifying and prioritizing the problems, analyzing them, designing a response based on that analysis, implementing the response, and assessing the response.

The techniques were first implemented in Madison, Wisconsin, and Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States, and in London, England, in the early 1980s. The POP approach has since been implemented in other areas in both the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as in Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and other countries. While the basic process has remained the same, the techniques and technology used to implement it have continued to improve in the decades since Goldstein first promoted the approach.

Experts say the POP approach has met with moderate success. Not every planned resolution works out as anticipated. Researchers also encounter the inherent difficulty in measuring the success of something intended to prevent problems; for instance, if police initiate an effort aimed at curbing illegal drug activity and illegal drug arrests still increase, it can be difficult to tell if the program failed or if it prevented the number of drug arrests from being even higher.

Researchers believe that the technique works best when the officers involved completely accept the POP approach. They have said that for many planned initiatives, it is also important to make people in the community aware of the steps that are being taken to avoid crime. For instance, if police are attempting to make the area in and around a community park safer by increasing police presence, it is important to let people know that the police will be there. This lets people know the boundaries of the safer areas so they can avoid more dangerous areas and also warns away potential criminals.

Another important factor in making POP work is having a focused approach. The type of crime and the area to be affected need to be specific and defined. Too large of a focus or area can minimize the impact of the effort. For example, instead of attempting to address criminal activity related to drugs by increasing patrols throughout the city, the police might identify the areas where the largest amount of drug activity occurs and concentrate their efforts there.

Not all of the efforts of a POP approach will focus on catching and arresting criminals or deterring them from acting. In some cases, police will seek solutions to problems such as preventing juveniles and juvenile delinquents who are arrested from committing future crimes, educating people on how to avoid being a victim of pickpocketing or home invasions, or addressing problems with individuals experiencing homelessness that make them more likely to either engage in criminal behavior or be the victims of criminal acts.

Bibliography

Goldstein, Herman. "On Further Developing Problem-Oriented Policing: The Most Critical Need, The Major Impediments, and a Proposal." Crime Prevention Studies, vol. 15, 2003, pp. 13–47, media.law.wisc.edu/m/hntg4/goldstein‗1.pdf. Accessed 8 Feb. 2018.

"Herman Goldstein, Author of 'Problem-Oriented Policing,' Dies at 88." University of Wisconsin-Madison Law School, 27 Jan. 2020, law.wisc.edu/newsletter/Faculty/Herman‗Goldstein‗author‗of‗Probl‗2020-01-24. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Hinkle, Joshua C., et al. "Problem-Oriented Policing for Reducing Crime and Disorder: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." Campbell Systematic Reviews, vol. 16, no. 2, 2020, 10.1002/cl2.1089. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

"Mission and History of the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing." Center for Problem-Oriented Policing, Arizona State University, www.popcenter.org/about/?p=history. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

"Problem-Oriented Policing." College of Policing, 3 Dec. 2020, www.college.police.uk/research/crime-reduction-toolkit/problem-oriented-policing. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

"Problem-Oriented Policing." RAND, www.rand.org/pubs/tools/TL261/better-policing-toolkit/all-strategies/problem-oriented-policing.html. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

"Problem-Solving Policing." College of Policing, 19 Oct. 2022, www.college.police.uk/guidance/problem-solving-policing. Accessed 6 Dec. 2024.

Weiburd, David, et al. "The Effects of Problem-Oriented Policing on Crime and Disorder." National Criminal Justice Reference Service, Nov. 2008, www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/224990.pdf. Accessed 8 Feb. 2018.