Kappeler: Community Policing, 6th Edition


Case Studies with Questions and Answers

Chapter 08: Problem Solving and Policing Problem Spaces

You have recently been appointed as the chief of police of a large urban police department. One of the primary problems your department is facing is the increasing gang and drug activity in the downtown area. Citizens have complained that the gangs have vandalized the buildings, taken over abandon houses in the neighborhood for drug activity and prostitution. There also has been an increase in violent crimes including assaults, drive by shootings, robberies, and homicides. As the chief, you have to decide how to best address these issues.

Questions

  1. What is a hot spot?
  2. Correct Answer

    Hot spot is a geographical concentration of crime. Hot spots generally are areas such as a block, apartment building, or an entertainment area.


  3. Why is it important to define or identify hot spots?
  4. Correct Answer

    It is important to define dangerous places and hot spots. A definition provides officers with a map or template for action. A clear definition is a benchmark for action. Clarke and Eck (2005) defined them as a reoccurring set of related harmful events in a community that the public expects the police to address.


  5. What is the SARA model and how would you apply it to the above scenario?
  6. Correct Answer

    The model is made up of a sequence of four stages that, when combined, make up the process of problem solving.

    Scanning refers to a process whereby individual officers, police units, or the police department collectively examine the community for problems or hot spots. These problems typically are exhibited through high levels of crime or complaints. They also result in large numbers of calls to the police. Scanning can and should be done with the assistance of the community.

    The goal of Analysis "is to determine why a problem is occurring. The underlying, situational causes of the problem are examined in terms of the offenders' motivations, the nature of victims or targets, and the environment of the place(s) where the problem occurs" (p. 390). Basically, they attempt to learn the who, what, when, where, and how of the problem.

    Once a problem or hot spot is clearly identified and analyzed, the police must then structure an effective Response. This means the police must deal with the cause or causes of the problem rather than its symptoms. The response may involve the police either directly or they may serve in a referral role.

    Assessment often consists of examining activities that occur in the problem area once the response has been implemented. That is, did the response reduce crime and calls for service?


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