David Weisburd
Professor of Criminology, Law and Society, George Mason University
Key Findings
- Problem-oriented policing significantly reduced crime and disorder in both experimental and quasi-experimental studies.
Description
In the article, “The Effects of Problem-Oriented Policing on Crime and Disorder,” Weisburd and his co-authors examine problem-oriented policing (POP) to assess its impact on crime. The researchers conducted a literary review of POP studies using the following criteria: 1) study used the Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment (SARA) model for POP, 2) study used a comparison group, and 3) study reported at least one crime or disorder outcome. The researchers reviewed more than 5,500 studies and found only ten studies met the criteria. The results of the meta-analysis showed that POP significantly reduced crime and disorder in both experimental and quasi-experimental studies. The authors cautioned the positive results of POP in this study as it had a small sample size. The authors also noted that the police use many multifaceted interventions that make it difficult to assess the impact of one intervention.