Policing Quality of Life Violations: Case studies from NYC and the rest of the world

• In Event: Policing Homelessness and Quality of Life Issues: The Impetus for Improvement

Abstract

New York City’s (NYC) experiences and policing initiatives over the past three decades have served as an example for other police forces worldwide. Among the most discussed policing strategies has been quality-of-life policing, the use of law enforcement against relatively minor behaviors with the immediate intended goal of improving the quality of life.
This study focuses on how the quality-of-life policing has evolved in NYC, how it was implemented as part of an anti-crime strategy, and what are the major lessons learned. Moreover, given that New York City’s (NYC) experiences in the field of QOL Policing have triggered the interest of academics and practitioners across the world, endorsed by some and opposed by others, this study will examine how QOF Policing has influenced other policing programs around the world and how this strategy was implemented in different cultural and political environments. Last but not least, the effectiveness of this approach will be discussed from a comparative perspective, and a number of potential policy recommendations will be thoroughly analyzed.

Authors

• Nikolaos (Nick) Petropoulos, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Maria Haberfeld, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / NYPD Office of Professional Development