Citation

Applegate RJ. Crime Prev. Community Safety 2004; 6(2): 35-50.

Affiliation

Community Justice Research Centre, University of Plymouth

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group -- Palgrave-Macmillan)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Problem-orientated policing has been justified as an effective and cost-efficient crime reduction strategy. A preliminary evaluation of the operation of the initiative in Plymouth, South-West England, suggested that it did indeed lead to a reduction in calls to the police. This article therefore addresses how problem-orientated policing was perceived by the key players -- police problem-solving officers and representatives of the other agencies they work with. In line with earlier research, the problems of facilitating cooperation, both with police colleagues and with partner agencies, were acknowledged. However, most of those interviewed felt that by focusing on a specific problem they had been able to reduce demands on police resources and to help the communities they served.