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Building Our Way Out of Crime: Community Development and its Role in Crime Reduction

Building Our Way Out of Crime: Community Development and its Role in Crime Reduction October 21, 2005 16th Annual Problem-Oriented Policing Conference Charlotte, North Carolina. Agenda. Exploring the link between public safety and community development

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Building Our Way Out of Crime: Community Development and its Role in Crime Reduction

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  1. Building Our Way Out of Crime: Community Development and its Role in Crime Reduction October 21, 2005 16th Annual Problem-Oriented Policing Conference Charlotte, North Carolina

  2. Agenda • Exploring the link between public safety and community development • Evidence of success from community-police alliances • Community developers: who they are, how they work • Terms of engagement • Closer look at a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department experience • Questions

  3. Link between public safety and community development Blight & other Community Decline ↔ Crime Revitalization & other Community Development ↔ Public Safety

  4. Link between public safety and community development “[R]esearch underscores the importance of activities that fall under the broad umbrella of ‘community building.’ …. [T]he message for social policy is clear: Building strong communities ‘from the ground up’… will contribute to the reduction in violence and fear, and will create a sense of safety.” - Jeremy Travis (2004) Source: “Building from the Ground Up: Strategies for Creating Safe and Just Communities,” in Journal of Social Thought: “Religion & Spirituality in Social Work” (2004)

  5. Limits of many efforts to eradicate crime hot spots Board up bad building without replacing it

  6. Creating productive institutional alliances Police Department Community Developers Full-time paid Coordinator Technical Assistance Providers (LISC)

  7. What have been the outcomes of communitydeveloper-police alliances? • Elimination of persistent hot spots • Significant drops in crime • Brick-and-mortar development, including high quality affordable housing and attractive retail space • New businesses and jobs • Greater resident engagement, “eyes on the street,” social capital, and collective efficacy

  8. Replacing nuisance properties:Revitalization of Payne Avenue in St. Paul Notorious strip club redeveloped into a restaurant and community meeting space

  9. Crime reduction: Graffiti Free Zone in South Los Angeles • Gang activity targeted by LAPD, Neighborhood Prosecutor and a CDC • Resulted in the removal of 150,000 square feet of graffiti and a 50% drop in new graffiti tags • LAPD recognized the program as a major contributor to a 16% drop in gang crime

  10. Crime reduction:Revitalization of Payne Avenue in St. Paul • Police anti-crime efforts combined with CDC development contributed to a 26% drop in Part 1 crime reports and a 25% drop in Quality of Life Calls for Service (QLC) on Payne Ave. • Changes in the target area were much better than those in comparable neighborhoods -25% +24% +11% +10% -26% -8% -2% -23% TARGET AREA COMPARISON AREAS

  11. Real Estate Development:Transformation of Blue Parkway in Kansas City, MO • CDC cleans up an area that is hazardous to residents due to illegal dumping and stray animals to clear the way for development of a major retail center

  12. Kansas City’s Blue Parkway (continued) • Police help secure tenants for a 160,000 square foot commercial center on the site • Center includes a police substation and workout facility

  13. Real Estate Development:Community Safety Center in Minneapolis • American Indian Neighborhood Development Corp. develops a commercial plaza, including a police substation, in a spot where open air drug sales previously deterred merchants

  14. New business development:Redevelopment of Columbia Plaza in Seattle • Commercial area transformed from a violent crime hotspot to a thriving multi-cultural business center • Part I crime declined 18% in the target area compared to 8% citywide

  15. New Business Development:Uphams Corner Revitalization in Dorchester, MA • CDC purchases and renovates properties in a blighted, crime ridden commercial intersection • New businesses open with help from CDC loan funds Before After

  16. Job Creation & Violent Crime Reduction:“Blackberry Jungle” to Pacific Rim Plaza in Seattle • Dangerous transient camp… Next to Blackberry Jungle “Blackberry Jungle”

  17. Job Creation & Violent Crime Reduction:“Blackberry Jungle” to Pacific Rim Plaza in Seattle … replaced by a multi-million dollar commercial and residential property that created 100 new jobs New development in place of “Blackberry Jungle”

  18. Job Creation:Swope Parkway Redevelopment in Kansas City, MO • H&R Block Service & Technology Center developed, with help of police captain, on a site formerly known for illegal dumping and criminal activity • Created 300 jobs and brought a $14.2 million payroll to an underserved minority community

  19. What is a community development corporation? • Non-profit corporation governed by local residents • Mission: To revitalize a specific neighborhood or geographic area (usually low-income) • Comprehensive agenda includes: - Residential and commercial real estate development - Social services, such as job training and placement or youth programs - Community organizing

  20. What are community development intermediaries? • Major national intermediaries: • Purpose:To help local community developers transform troubled neighborhoods by mobilizing corporate, government and philanthropic support for neighborhood revitalization

  21. What is the role for national intermediaries? • Make loans, grants and equity investments to advance community development goals • Promote supportive policies at the local, state and national level • Provide technical and management assistance to CDCs In 2004, LISC activities included… $110 million in loans for CDC projects $584 million in equity invested $30 million in grants to CDCs

  22. What are CDC assets and what do they mean for you? • Access to capital markets • Bricks and mortar development • Property management • Job creation and job training/placement • Social services or partnerships with service providers • Youth programs • Advocacy and political action • Community and merchant organizing

  23. Terms of engagement • Collaboration in planning and problem-solving • Information sharing • Power sharing • Resource sharing • Non-traditional roles

  24. The Grier Heights Neighborhood Action Team FULL TIME TEAM APPROACH IMPLEMENTED IN LATE 1999. PILOT PROGRAMS OPERATED THROUGHOUT 2000.

  25. “Enter into interactive collaborative partnerships…” • Action Teams consist of: • SPONSOR • FACILITATOR • COMMUNITY RESIDENTS • COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICER(S) • COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT INSPECTOR • HOUSING INSPECTOR • NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES SPECIALIST

  26. “Interactive collaborative partnerships…” TEAM MEMBERS ATTENDED 32 HOURS OF LEADERSHIP AND TEAM BUILDING TRAINING AT PFEIFFER UNIVERSITY IN DECEMBER 1999. MISSION STATEMENT AND VISION STATEMENT WERE WRITTEN. CITY EMPLOYEES MOVED TO OFFICE SPACE AT THE CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG POLICE DEPARTMENT’S BAKER SERVICE CENTER. ALL CITY EMPLOYEES WORK FROM SAME BUILDING, INCREASING OPPORTUNITY TO INTERACT AND COMMUNICATE.

  27. “IDENTIFY COMMUNITY PROBLEMS…”

  28. “Identify community problems…” • OPEN COMMUNITY MEETING FOR “VISIONING” SESSION. THE RESIDENTS SAID WHAT THEY WANTED TO SEE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY. • TEAM MEMBERS SPOKE AT MONTHLY COMMUNITY MEETINGS. • TEAM MEMBERS MET WITH PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION. • TEAM MEMBERS MET WITH NEIGHBORHOOD LANDLORDS.

  29. “Establish priorities…” • MUST CARRY OVER UNFINISHED ITEMS FROM PREVIOUS PLAN. • TOOK COMMUNITY SUGGESTIONS FROM “VISIONING” SESSION AND ADDED TEAM MEMBER SUGGESTED ITEMS. • ITEMS WERE CATEGORIZED AND PRIORITIZED. • EVALUATED ITEMS: SOME WERE ADDED, OTHERS DELETED DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS, PRACTICALITY, ETC.

  30. “Integrated approach to the delivery of needed services…” ACTION PLAN AREAS OF FOCUS: • CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY • THE HOUSING STOCK • COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT • EDUCATION AND TRAINING • STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY • ORGANIZATION • YOUTH AND CHILD PROGRAMS • ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • INFRASTRUCTURE • TRANSPORTATION

  31. CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY TOTAL OFFENSES 1996: 1040 1997: 890 1998: 847 1999: 829 20% Decrease in overall crime rate over four years

  32. “Develop innovative responses to problems…” CRIME AND PUBLIC SAFETY • REDUCE DRUG ACTIVITY • REDUCE THE OVERALL CRIME RATE • REDUCE REPEAT CALLS FOR SERVICE • ELIMINATE INADEQUATE LIGHTING AND REDUCE FEAR OF CRIME

  33. IMPROVE THE HOUSING STOCK

  34. IMPROVE THE HOUSING STOCK

  35. IMPROVE THE HOUSING STOCK

  36. DEBRIS FILLED VACANT LOTS

  37. ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS

  38. “Develop innovative responses to problems…” COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT • CONCERNS ABOUT BULK ITEMS AND CITY CODE VIOLATIONS • TRASH AND LITTER ON VACANT LOTS • ABANDONED SHOPPING CARTS

  39. “Develop innovative responses to problems…” EDUCATION AND TRAINING • ORGANIZE AND TRAIN BLOCK CAPTAINS • COMPUTER TRAINING • WORK TO ESTABLISH A TRAINING AND RECREATIONAL FACILITY • JOB TRAINING AND PLACEMENT • REACH OUT TO GROWING ETHNIC POPULATION • FIRST AID TRAINING • HOUSE KEEPING, MAINTENANCE, AND BASIC HOME REPAIR

  40. STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION

  41. “Develop innovative responses to problems…” STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION • IMPROVE INFORMATON DISTRIBUTION • RECRUIT NEW MEMBERS FOR COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATION • ESTABLISH A RECREATION COMMITTEE • COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AND SELF-ESTEEM TRAINING

  42. YOUTH PROGRAMS

  43. “Develop innovative responses to problems…” YOUTH AND CHILD PROGRAMS • COORDINATE YOUTH PROGRAMS • CHILD DAY CARE AND HEALTH CARE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • DEVELOPMENT OF VACANT LOTS • RESEARCH OPTION OF DINING TRAIN TRANSPORTATION • E-Z RIDER PROGRAM

  44. THE COOPERATION BETWEEN VARIOUS CITY, COUNTY, AND PRIVATE DEPARTMENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS WILL ALLOW THE GRIER HEIGHTS ACTION TEAM TO TAKE A CREATIVE APPROACH TO PROBLEM SOLVING THAT WILL ENSURE SUCCESS.

  45. GRIER HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION TEAM MISSION STATEMENT THE GRIER HEIGHTS ACTION TEAM IS COMMITTED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND BRING STABILITY TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH:  BUILDING PROBLEM-SOLVING PARTNERSHIPS  PROVIDING TRAINING AND EDUCATION  IMPROVED DELIVERY OF CITY SERVICES  FACILITATING ACCESS TO RESOURCES  CREATING A SAFE ENVIRONMENT  IMPROVING INFRASTRUCTURE RESULTING IN A SELF-SUFFICIENT, HEALTHY COMMUNITY. WE VALUE: OUR YOUTH, OUR PARTNERS, ACCOUNTABILITY, INTEGRITY, RESIDENTS OF GRIER HEIGHTS, CUSTOMER SERVICE, RESPECT, OPEN COMMUNICATIONS, TEAM MEMBERS, AND POSITIVE CHANGE.

  46. QUESTIONS???

  47. “Police-CDC partnerships are not simply another version of the police-resident partnerships that have become popular in community policing. They are a specific type of relationship that commands the distinct resources of an important institution… It seems especially important to recognize the breadth of strategies that police and CDCs can pursue together." -David Thacher, Program in Criminal Justice Policy and Management, Harvard University Source: “The Community Safety Initiative: Lessons Learned.” Harvard University Working Paper #00-05-17

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