FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE BJS/COPS THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 1999 202/307-0703 SURVEYS IN 12 CITIES SHOW WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR POLICE New Process Collects Data on Victimization, Citizen Perceptions of Police and Crime WASHINGTON, DC Eighty-five percent of residents surveyed in 12 cities reported satisfaction with the police who served their neighborhood, according to a 1998 Justice Department survey released today. The proportion of residents reporting that they were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the police ranged from 97 percent in Madison, Wisconsin to 78 percent in Washington, D.C. Few residents in the 12 cities about 3 percent said they were "very dissatisfied" with the police. More than half of all respondents said they were familiar with the term "community policing," and 54 percent said that police officers practice community policing in their neighborhoods. Across the 12 cities the percentage of residents who thought that their local police practiced community policing ranged from 42 percent in Knoxville to 67 percent in Chicago. Sixty percent of respondents indicated that in the past 12 months the police had worked at least "somewhat" with neighborhood residents on crime prevention and safety. "The high degree of citizen support for America's neighborhood police officers is a testament to the dedicated men and women who work day in and day out to establish relationships with residents in their communities," said Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder. "These relationships help citizens and police work together to promote community safety." Criminal Victimization and Perceptions of Community Safety in 12 Cities, 1998 reports the results of surveys sponsored by the Department's Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The cities surveyed were Chicago, Illinois; Kansas City, Missouri; Knoxville, Tennessee; Los Angeles, California; Madison, Wisconsin; New York, New York; San Diego, California; Savannah, Georgia; Spokane, Washington; Springfield, Massachusetts; Tucson, Arizona; and Washington, D.C. In addition to data on community policing, the publication also reports on the rates at which residents are victimized by crime and citizen perceptions of crime in the 12 cities. Key findings include: * Nationally, black residents in urban areas have experienced a higher rate of violent crime than urban whites. This is also the case for black residents across the 12 cities surveyed. * In each of the cities, victims said that less than half of the violent crimes involved a weapon. * Less than half the residents in each of the cities were fearful of crime in their neighborhood. Less than 1 in 10 in each of the cities said they were "very fearful." * In six cities, at least 20 percent of residents who said they were afraid of becoming a victim of street crime carried a weapon (knife, gun, club, mace, stun-gun) for self-defense. Although BJS annually publishes national data on criminal victimization, this study marks the first effort in 20 years to gather data on victimization and community policing at the city level. In response to requests from the law enforcement community for information on crime rates and the effectiveness of community policing in their neighborhoods, the project served as a model for city-level surveys nationwide. To support locally initiated citizen surveys in additional cities, BJS and the COPS Office have developed a Windows-based software survey package that can be used to collect information on criminal victimizations, citizen attitudes toward the police, their willingness to report crimes to the police, and the impact of community policing strategies on crime and neighborhood conditions. "Gathering data on crime and community policing at the local level not only supplements our national data, but also allows local officials to identify their particular crime control needs," said BJS Director Jan Chaiken. "As part of the Justice Department's emphasis on police working with residents in their neighborhoods, we are giving local law enforcement agencies tools to learn more about crimes and public opinion that may not be reported to the police." Community policing is a crime fighting strategy that encourages law enforcement to work in partnership with the community to solve crime problems. To date, the COPS Office has awarded more than $5.9 billion dollars to more than 11,300 agencies. Over 87 percent of the country is now served by law enforcement agencies doing community policing. "The results of this study validate this administration's efforts to support community policing and fund 100,000 officers for our nation's neighborhoods," said Joseph E. Brann, Director of the COPS Office. "Individual officers across our country are reaching out to work with neighbors, schools and business leaders to create safer communities and enhance the quality of life." The full report is available online at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/abstract/cvpcs98.htm. A copy may also be obtained through the BJS fax-on-demand system by dialing 301/519-5550, listening to the complete menu, and selecting document number 156 for the main section of the report and document number 155 for the technical statistical appendices. Printed copies of the report are available by calling the BJS Clearinghouse at 1-800/732-3277 and requesting document number NCJ 173940. Local jurisdictions may also obtain the survey software package by calling the BJS Clearinghouse at 1-800/732-3277. More information on the COPS program is available at http://www.usdoj.gov/cops. Statistics on the justice system are available through the BJS Website at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs. BJS is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which provides information on criminal justice programs and research at http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov. Media should call OJP's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs at 202/307-0703 or the COPS Communications Office at 202/616-1728. ### After hours contact: Mike McCarthy at 202/305-0779. End of File