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Crime, Victimization, and Social Equity NNIP Oakland 2010

This article explores the Safeways Model, which combines law enforcement with community building to prevent crime and address social equity issues in Memphis. It discusses the disproportionate impact of crime and victimization on low-income and minority neighborhoods and highlights the need for geographically focused efforts. The article also examines the challenges of racial profiling and disparate enforcement and proposes long-term crime prevention strategies that address root causes. The Safeways Model's guiding principles and strategies are outlined, including the importance of organizing apartment managers and residents, training and technical assistance, site-based services, and resident capacity building.

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Crime, Victimization, and Social Equity NNIP Oakland 2010

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  1. Crime, Victimization, and Social EquityNNIP Oakland 2010 The Safeways Model for Leveraging Law Enforcement with Community Building and Long Term Crime Prevention in Memphis and Shelby County

  2. Phyllis BettsCenter for Community Building and Neighborhood Action and InfoWorks MemphisUniversity of Memphis Richard Janikowski Center for Community Criminology and Research University of Memphis

  3. Crime Victimization is an Equity Issue • Victims of street crime are disproportionately low income/poor and minority • National Crime Victimization Survey • Crime and victimization are disproportionately distributed among urban neighborhoods • Reducing the probability of victimization and confronting disparities requires geographically focused crime reduction efforts • But . . . geographically focused efforts raise specter of racial profiling, harassment, and disparate enforcement impact on minority communities

  4. Thinking about Equity • Equity Issue 1: Traditional law enforcement institutions and tactics are fraught with inequity • Crime suppression has disparate impact on poor and minority communities • Equity Issue 2: Law enforcement has traditionally provided better service to more affluent neighborhoods • Too little attention to victimization in poor and minority neighborhoods

  5. A Note on Child Victimization • High crime areas are child-rich • Children’s exposure to violence highly consequential for child development and long term crime prevention

  6. Equity Issue 1 • Dominates progressive discourse • Law enforcement does not address root causes of crime • Substantive long term crime prevention requires • Ending racial discrimination and racial profiling • Eradicating poverty and expanding economic opportunity • Equalizing education and youth development opportunities • Alternatives to traditional law enforcement: diversion, rehabilitation, and restorative justice

  7. Equity Issue 2 • What is the appropriate response to demands for safer neighborhoods among poor and minority communities? • Can you succeed with longer term crime prevention without elements of crime suppression? • Our answer: No • Can you provide law enforcement that is also responsive to Equity Issue 1? • Our answer: Yes

  8. Safeways Model Basics • “Public Health” approach to community safety • Tertiary suppression (arrest, prosecution, and disruption of criminal activity and criminal economy and removal of negative role models) • Secondary intervention (diversion and rehab as appropriate) • Primary prevention (comprehensive developmental alternatives to delinquency and criminal behavior) • Safer communities now: a prerequisite for longer term prevention

  9. Map 1: 2008 Frequency of Part 1 Offenses by Census Block Group

  10. Map 61: January – June 2008 Frequency of Part 1 Offenses by Census Block Group with Apartment Overlay

  11. Map 62: January – June 2008 Frequency of Part 1 Offenses by Census Block Group with Apartment Overlay

  12. 2006:2009 Crime % Change: -33% 2006:2009 Violent Crime% Change: -28% Homicides- 8/yr to 2/yr 2006:2009 Property Crime % Change: - 57% OCU, CAT & PSN SCSO WARRANT SWEEPS MPD TASKFORCE OPERATIONS SCSO OPERATIONS MPD TASKFORCE OPERATIONS MPD TASKFORCE OPERATIONS SCSO OPERATIONS MPD DART TEAM 12

  13. Map 72: January – June 2008 Part 1 Crime Rate per 1000 by Census Block Group with Apartment Overlay

  14. Map 74: January – June 2009 Part 1 Crime Rate per 1000 by Census Block Group with Apartment Overlay

  15. Map 76: January – June 2010 Part 1 Crime Rate per 1000 by Census Block Group with Apartment Overlay

  16. RESULTS Precinct Taskforce OCU Operation Social Services 18

  17. Safeways Model Operating Assumptions • Apartment communities are neighborhoods with risks and assets • Risks in too many apartment communities, especially lower income, are growing and victimization is increasining • Apartment communities typically lack the cohesion and commitment typical of homeowner-dominated neighborhoods • Multi-family business model does not necessary require long term commitment to quality and/or . . . • Owners and managers may be unaware of strategies that could reduce crime and enhance quality of life for apartment residents • Reducing victimization in apartment communities requires strategic combination of law enforcement and longer term equity building

  18. Safeways Basics: Guiding Principles • Organizing apartment managers and residents to work with law enforcement interventions • Best practices training and technical assistance for people and place management • Linkages for site-based services/initiatives • Resident capacity building → community building

  19. Reaching Families Where They Live: Peacemaking Circles at Autumn Ridge

  20. Safeways Basics: Data • Data-driven: from Blue CRUSH to TRAC to RTCC to CBANA-InfoWorks Memphis Neighborhood Risk Index for Community Safety • Multi-Family Safety Audit • One Year Crime Analysis • Broken Windows and CPTED • Place Management Policies Review • Resident Services Analysis • Customized Intervention Plan

  21. Next Steps • Finalize Safeways Apartment Community Certification business model and replicate city-wide: buy-in from City of Memphis and Shelby County • Develop Mandated Crime Reduction Program for nuisance properties and Rental Quality Assurance training for aspiring Safeways properties: City-County and District Attorney General • Build the local capacity to deliver site-based resident services through the Safeways best practices model and the Powerlines capacity-building network • Leverage other efforts with Community Action Partnership (CAP) in Southeast Memphis and Frayser-Raleigh: toward comprehensive community stabilization

  22. Safeways Model Replication Team: Data-driven Interventions to Reach Families Where They Live • Southeast Mempis CDC • Powerlines Site-Based Services Collaborative • LEDIC Asset Management • Center for Community Building and Neighborhood Action and Center for Community Criminology and Research • And coming on board . . . Mayor AC Wharton

  23. Safeways Law Enforcement Partners • Memphis Police Department and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department • District Attorney General and US Attorney • Memphis Shelby Crime Commission and Operation Safe Community • Cannot do this without them!

  24. Other Project Partners • JustCare 180 and JustCare Family Network early intervention for youth • Bridges “PeaceJam” Initiative • Turning Point Partners Restorative Justice Circles • Coordinated Community Response to Domestic Violence • Southeast Regional District Memphis City Schools Truancy Initiative • Clean Memphis neighborhood clean-up, youth development and leadership, and Building 2 Live summer camp on environmental and neighborhood issues (recreation, education, and workforce development) • Healthy Memphis Common Table • Early Success Coalition • Operation Safe Community Prisoner Re-Entry Initiative • And the list is growing . . .

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