Evidence - Based Approaches to Crime Reduction - May 2 & 3

On May 2 and 3, 2011, the City of Seattle and the Center for Evidence-Based Crime Policy at George Mason University collaborated on a series of discussions about evidence-based approaches to crime reduction. This web page has collected the presentations, notes, and related links so that participants and other stakeholders can continue to explore this topic on their own.

To view video available, please select a link below to open Seattle Channel player:

• Council Briefing - Place-based policing (May 2, 2011)
• A Conversation on Policing and Crime Reduction Strategies (May 2, 2011)
• Public Safety and Education Committee: Panel Discussion on Research into Practice (May 3, 2011)

Crime and Place

How can we apply the power of science to urban policing and be more just and effective by focusing on where crime occurs more than on individual offenders and by integrating and better coordinating a range of public and community resources that responds to the places where crime occurs? The research suggests that police resources can and should be applied more judiciously and that police-community relations can be strengthened by partnering police with a host of public agencies and community organizations in the effort.

• See Dr. Cynthia Lum's May 2, 2011 presentation to the Seattle City Council on Science in Policing
• Check out the Evidence-Based Policing Matrix a research-to-practice translation tool that organizes these stronger studies visually, allowing agencies to view the field of research, from its generalizations to its particulars.
• Read the related documents:
  • "The Importance of Place in Policing," by Weisburd, Telep and Braga: http://bit.ly/hLoSGq
  • Geography and Public Safety Bulletin, March 2011: http://bit.ly/fvQ8hC
  • "Addressing Crime and Disorder in Seattle’s ‘Hot Spots’: What Works?" Seattle City Auditor Report: http://1.usa.gov/gjoFWu
  • "Controlling Drug and Disorder Problems: Oakland’s Beat Health Program," by Mazerolle and Roehl: http://1.usa.gov/eZgqQ2
  • Read the 2010 Department of Justice publication:
    Building Our Way Out of Crime: The Transformative Power of Police-Community Developer Partnerships
    Describes and analyzes innovative efforts in communities across the United States to reduce crime in and improve the economic vitality of blighted neighborhoods. By working together, local police, nonprofit community developers, elected and appointed officials, financial strategists, and community leaders can do more with less, converting crime hot spots that ruin entire neighborhoods and consume considerable police services into safety-generating community assets.
• Review input from participants in our May 2, 2011 Conversation on Policing and Crime Reduction Strategies

Research into Practice

How we can better apply research findings to our public policy and practices? By sharing the experiences and perspectives of policymakers, researchers and public agency administrators on factors that support and hamper the application of proven practices we hope to improve the City of Seattle’s ability to incorporate research into practice.

• See the panelists for the May 3, 2011 discussion:
  • Eric J. Bruns, Ph.D., http://depts.washington.edu/pbhjp/faculty_staff/faculty.php#bruns
  • J. David Hawkins, Ph.D. http://depts.washington.edu/ssdp/hawkins.shtml
  • Russell M. Lidman, Ph.D. http://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/publicservice/default.aspx?id=54529
  • Roxanne Lieb http://www.wsipp.wa.gov/auth.asp?authid=40
  • Lois Schipper, www.seattle.gov/humanservices/foodhealth/publichealth/
    pregnant_adolescent.htm
• Learn about the Coalition for Evidence-Based Policy http://coalition4evidence.org/wordpress/. A nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, the Coalition seeks to increase government effectiveness through the use of rigorous evidence about what works.
• Check out the e-Consortium of University Centers and Researchers for Partnership with Justice Practitioners http://gmuconsortium.org/ a resource to local, state, federal and other groups who seek to connect to nearby (or other) university researchers and centers on partnerships and projects that are mutually beneficial. Through this forum, we hope to strengthen and foster relationships between the academic research community and justice agencies, and to improve and increase the culture of partnership, evaluation and outreach by criminal justice practitioners, scholars and students.
• Read the related report: "Police Science: Toward a New Paradigm," by Weisburd and Neyroud: http://1.usa.gov/hkLwoh
• See materials provided by former Seattle City Councilmember Jim Street on the Reinvesting in Youth Program:
  • Reinvesting in Youth: Evaluation of Lessons Learned in Reinvesting in Youth Initiative
  • Reinvesting in Youth Promising Program Evaluation Project: Multi-Site Evaluation Final Report
  • Reinvesting in Youth: Elements of Successful Programs Case Study
• Read J.David Hawkins 8 Attributes of Local Governments that Embrace Evidence-Based Practices
• Review input from participants in our May 3, 2011 panel discussion on Research into Practice

For more information, please contact:
research2practice@seattle.gov