Community Organizations and Crime

Community organizations that have crime problems on their agendas are common across the country. They originate as an anticipatory response to crime or as a consequence of local criminal activity; none endure, however, by focusing exclusively on crime problems. Participation in anticrime groups is based on awareness of local problems and is linked to socioeconomic status and class-linked attitudes. One approach to fighting crime is for community organizations to request more and better policing. Another is to focus on the fundamental social and economic issues that are root causes of crime. Individual measures often emphasize preventing victimization and minimizing losses, while collective action involves efforts to defend or reform neighborhoods. Evaluations have not produced clear-cut evidence that prevention programs are effective. Organizations also attempt to control crime and disorder through intervention and by changing people's social behavior. Crime-prevention organizations can be implanted in new areas either by encouraging existing organizations to add crime problems to their agendas or by encouraging the formation of such community organizations.