Assessing Perceptions of Crime, Disorder, and Quality of Life for a Community Revitalization Effort: Findings from a Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation Project

• In Event: Communities and Quality of Life

Abstract

The Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation (BCJI) Grant, funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, provides awards to a limited number of sites across the nation to develop neighborhood revitalization initiatives based on an analysis of crime hot spots, resident perceptions of crime and safety, and quality of life issues. The grant formalizes researcher-practitioner partnerships for the purpose of developing a data driven strategy for community improvement. We were asked by a local social service agency, which was awarded a planning grant through the BCJI program, to serve as the research partners on the project. In this role, we were responsible for the research design, data collection and analysis, and providing recommendations for a revitalization strategy. This paper will present the findings of our analysis of crime data obtained from local law enforcement, focus group and survey data from community residents regarding perceptions of disorder, crime, and safety, and neighborhood conditions impacting quality of life. One noteworthy finding is that resident perceptions about the extent of disorder and crime were not validated by police data. We will highlight our recommendations for a revitalization strategy based on these findings.

Authors

• Elizabeth Panuccio, Centenary College

• Amy D'Olivo, Centenary College