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| E-Briefing July 10, 2000 Hurley is working with data UC's criminal justice department collected on three
surveillance cameras in Cincinnati. "These cameras are being put up blindly, without any
understanding of what the effect may be on crime," Hurley says. "No one knows: will a
surveillance camera alone be enough to affect crime in a given space, or does it have to
be used along with an adjustment in police activities?" Hurley is examining questions
such as how far out the camera makes an impact on crime and whether it decreases
crime or just moves it to other nearby areas.
Another question of interest to Hurley, a former police officer in Dayton, Ohio, is
the effect high-tech solutions like surveillance cameras may have on traditional methods
of crime deterrence, such as neighborhood Block Watch programs. "For years, we've
advocated things like Block Watch as an informal social control, and now we're
introducing a direct formal control by the police. What effect will that have? This is a
different trend away from what we've (tried) in the past." contact:
309-438-2729 The technology is designed to detect the sound of a muzzle blast from a gun and,
within seconds of the shot being fired, estimate the location where the shot was fired and
alert the police. The study has shown that random gunfire incidents often go unreported
by the public (only 23 percent of incidents heard in the study were also reported to
police by the public). While the technology is effective in detecting random gunfire,
questions remain about whether it will actually help police in their work.
"Police have to be willing to do something with that information. They are left to do
the problem-solving," says Jim Frank, UC associate professor of criminal justice and one
of the investigators working on the project. contact: 513-556-5832 That presents its own set of challenges to UC police. Instead of placing a concerted
emphasis on crime prevention and awareness issues with students at the beginning of the
fall quarter that carries through the rest of the school year, police are faced with new
groups coming onto campus every week or two. "We have to teach a lot more about
vigilance," Ferrara says. "We're in the training mode all of the time." Since 97 percent of
all crime at UC is property crime, UC police emphasize theft avoidance tips with
summer visitors. They also have to work at gearing their message to audiences ranging
from older adults to elementary-school aged children. In another twist, Kings Island is
renting space in a UC dorm to house seasonal workers for the park. It all adds up to a
much different set of demands on service for the third-largest police department
within Hamilton County. contact: 513-556-4900 Frank is co-principal investigator on a National Institute of Justice study that is
looking at policing in 21 jurisdictions across southwest Ohio, ranging from urban to rural
settings. "You know that people are going to be out, kids are going to be out," Frank
says. "Kids are going to be in cars and hanging out. It's busier in part because of the
weather and it being light out till 10 o'clock, in part because of the time of year with
school being out. That creates situations where you need more regulation of people and
more contact with people, and unfortunately, with more and more contact, there
becomes a greater likelihood that a problem may arise." contact:
513-556-5832 A study by Frank Cullen, Distinguished Research Professor in criminal justice, and
Nick Williams, associate professor of economics, found that work of 20 hours per week
or more by teenagers makes them more susceptible to getting into trouble with the law.
"We're finding the more money they have, the more likely we are to see delinquency
among kids," Cullen says. "Those resources they earn, if anything, tend to go towards
getting them into trouble." contact: 513-556-5834 Lassiter and his students have looked at community-oriented policing in his criminal
procedures course. He says it's effective because it creates a healthier atmosphere in the
community. "This is taking us away from a system where we were going through the
motions of filling out reports if a car was stolen. We would just phone it in. We had
gotten away from the idea it was a crime and making a detection effort."
Community-oriented policing also makes the criminal justice system more effective,
Lassiter believes, by creating better linkages between community groups like the Urban
League and the police, which in turn helps the police be more effective in doing their
jobs. contact: 513-556-0096 "Somebody will get the idea that this is a good place to wave (their) sign."
Bridgeman has compiled a number of tips for Americans to follow who are headed to
the Olympics or anywhere overseas. "Terrorists will pick the easiest target, and you have
to make sure that isn't you," he says. His tips range from controlling your appearance to
how to humanize yourself in the eyes of terrorists to items to have in your carry-on
luggage should you be taken hostage.
Examples include dressing business casual for travel, but not blue jeans and a
T-shirt (that suggests U.S. military personnel traveling off-duty); "sterilizing" your wallet
or purse, leaving in items like family photos and taking out items like fraternal or social
IDs and military or patriotic paraphernalia; and avoiding spending excess time in places
like airport ticket counters and boarding areas, where an incident is most likely to begin.
"The tendency in going to the Olympics is to go and support the Americans, but it's not
a good idea to travel with an American T-shirt or red, white and blue hat on. Show
yourself as an American only in the stands and always be in what I call "Condition
Yellow" at big crowd events at all times." In other words, stay alert but not
terrorized by the thought of terrorism. contact: 513-732-5251 |
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