Vol.20 No.6 - NIJ Study Finds - Police Can Initiate Strategies to Reduce Fear of Crime Without Big Budget Increases

Oct 13, 2026

February 10, 1986 issue text reports findings from a U.S. Justice Department study funded by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) showing police can reduce fear of crime and improve perceived neighborhood safety without major budget increases. It highlights strategies linked to perceived crime and disorder, public satisfaction, and sometimes actual crime reduction, including an NIJ director’s perspective on social harms of fear. The issue also covers an NIJ fellow initiating research on police field training programs and introduces an AIDS newsletter for health professionals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages11

Reading Time28 min

AccessFree to download

NIJ Study Finds:

Police Can Initiate Strategies to Reduce the Fear of Crime Without Big Budget Increases

NIJ Fellow Initiates Study of Police Field Training Programs

AIDS Newsletter Available

Vol.20 No.6 ## NIJ Study Finds: POLICE CAN INITIATE STRATEGIESTO REDUCE THE FEAR OF CRIMEWITHOUT BIG BUDGET INCREASES A study funded by the U.S.Justice Department'sNational Institute of Justice(NIJ)in two majorcities shows that police can initiate innovative strat-egies to reduce the fear of crime and increase citizens'sense of personal safety in their neighborhoods. The Police Foundation report of the study,released on Feb.9,said there are strategies,"severalof them new,some of them used in the past butdiscarded,which can reduce levels of perceivedcrime and disorder,reduce fear and concern aboutcrime,improve evaluations of police service,in-crease satisfaction with neighborhoods,and,insome cases,reduce crime itself.” "Fear of crime can be even more debilitatingto cities and destructive to neighborhoods than theactual incidence of crime itself,"according to James K.Stewart,director of NIJ.“Fear of crime im-prisons citizens in their homes,fosters unfoundedsuspicion between young and old and among vari-ous urban groups,dries up commercial activity vitalto cities,and creates conditions that nurture in-creased crime rates. “The essential lesson of this study is that policedepartments can lower the fear of crime among citi-zens if they adapt to local conditions the successfulfear reduction strategies identified in the report ofthe project. "Significantly,in this time of tight municipalbudgets,these strategies involve no substantial in-crease in personnel or other police resources.” February 10,1986 IN THIS ISSUE FEAR OF CRIME:The Two Pilot Projects Were Successful,NIJ Says.......1FIELD TRAINING:New Study Underway....2AIDS:Newsletter Available.........2SUSPECT WITH AIDS:Not Wanted......3MEESE:Explains What Federalism Means....3VICTIMS:California Plans Conference.....3DOWNTOWNS:Can You Reduce Crime?....4BOB DEMPSEY:Chosen By IACP ......4ABSCAM:Another Book Contemplated.....4PHOTOGRAPHY:Kodak Workshop Scheduled..S.49:It's Gotta Go,Chief Behan Says.....5S.49:It's Great,Rep.Robinson Says .....7JOB LISTINGS.............8FLORIDA:Drug Tipsters Calling In ......10FINGERPRINTS:Automation Meeting Planned..10 STATE OF THE UNION IS WONDERFUL In his annual State of the Union Address deliveredto the nation on Feb.4,President Reagan had verylittle to say about crime and justice,one of the pri-mary problems worrying citizens,according to anABC-TV pollreleased on the same day.Here's allthat President Reagansaid about crime and justice:“Confident in our future,secure in our values,Americans are striding forward to embrace thefuture.We see it not only in our recovery but inthree straight years of falling crime rates,as familiesand communities band together to fight pornography,drugs and lawlessness and to give back to their chil-dren the safe and,yes,innocent childhood theydeserve." ## NIJ FELLOW INTTIATES STUDY OFPOLICE FIELD TRAINING PROGRAMS The U.S.Justice Department's National Insti-tute of Justice(NIJ)has selected Michael S.McCampbell,a lieutenant in the Arlington County,Va.,Police Department,to be a visiting fellow fora year in order to research police training needs,the Institute announced on Jan.26. McCampbell,who is a 21-year ArlingtonCounty veteran,is studying police field officertraining programs in the U.S.to evaluate theirscope and effectiveness.He holds a BS degree inthe administration of justice from American Uni-versity and an MS degree in criminal justice fromGeorge Washington University. "We are especially pleased to have Lt.McCampbell with us,and we eagerly await theresults of his work-which I am sure will be asignificant contribution to improving policeofficer training,"said James K.Stewart,directorof the Institute. “Policy research needs the contributions ofcriminal justice practitioners,"Stewart added.“The fellowship program allows them to help usdevelop a balanced perspective on what the systemis doing.Previous fellows have included proba-tion,corrections,courts and academic s

FAQs

What does the NIJ study say about reducing fear of crime without increasing budgets?

The study indicates police can initiate innovative strategies to reduce fear of crime and increase citizens’ sense of personal safety without substantial budget or personnel increases.

Why is fear of crime described as harmful in the issue?

Fear of crime is portrayed as more debilitating than actual crime incidence, contributing to distrust among groups, harming commerce, and creating conditions that may nurture higher crime rates.

What is the purpose of the NIJ fellow’s field training research?

The selected fellow is researching police field officer training needs to evaluate the scope and effectiveness of field training programs and plans to publish findings based on questionnaires sent to major police departments.

Oct 13, 2026

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