Response Guides

Response Guides summarize the collective knowledge from research and practice about how, and under what conditions, certain common police responses to crime and disorder do and do not work.

Anonymous Peer Review: Each guide is informed by a thorough review of the research literature and reported police practice, and each guide is anonymously peer-reviewed by a line police officer, a police executive and a researcher prior to publication. The review process is independently managed by the COPS Office, which solicits the reviews.

These guides are web versions of the guides with links to many additional resources designed to be read on-line.
These are shorter printed versions of the guides for easy download and printing.
#1 The Benefits and Consequences of Police Crackdowns
#2 Closing Streets and Alleys to Reduce Crime
#3 Shifting and Sharing Responsibility for Public Safety Problems
#4 Video Surveillance of Public Places
#5 Crime Prevention Publicity Campaigns
#6 Sting Operations
#7 Asset Forfeiture
#8 Improving Street Lighting to Reduce Crime in Residential Areas
#9 Dealing With Crime and Disorder in Urban Parks
#10 Assigning Police Officers to Schools
#11 Using Civil Actions Against Property to Control Crime Problems
#12 Monitoring Offenders on Conditional Release