Is Focused Deterrence Working in Kansas City? An Updated Analysis After Three Years of Implementation

• In Event: New Findings from the Smart Policing Initiative #2

Abstract

Kansas City, Missouri has had a stubbornly high homicide rate, and it 2013 the rate was about 22 per 100,000 residents. Since the beginning of 2014, criminal justice, research and community partners have been working together to implement a focused deterrence strategy. The collaboration is called KC No Violence Alliance (NoVA) and is designed to reduce violent crime. This presentation will provide an updated analysis of the impact the program has had on shootings and homicides, specifically those that are group involved, after three years of implementation. Using 5 years of pre-implementation data and 3 years of post-implementation data, time series analysis will be used to test the short-term and medium-term impact of the program on violent crime. Implementation challenges and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Andrew M Fox, California State University, Fresno

• Kenneth J Novak, University of Missouri- Kansas City