A Place-based Approach to Address Youth-Police Officer Interactions in Crime Hotspots: A Randomized Controlled Trial, 3 U.S. cities, 2021-2023

This study combines elements of community policing and problem-oriented policing (POP) to examine the effect of a place-based policing strategy that emphasizes
POP and patrol officer training in law enforcement officers (LEO)-youth interactions and youth crime prevention (POP for Youth[YPOP]) on crime outcomes and related community outcomes in 128 crime hotspots across three mid-Atlantic sites within the same county. Between July 2021 and November 2022, one third of the hotspots received traditional POP services, one third received POP for Youth treatment (POP with an emphasis on positive youth interactions), and the remaining third received regular patrol services for an intervention period of 13-16 months. The YPOP intervention was evaluated using multiple data sources, including reported intervention activities, official police data, and community surveys. The main objectives of this YPOP initiative were to: (1) Examine the impact of YPOP on crime; and (2) explore the impact of YPOP on young community member's perception of safety (victimization and fear of crime), perceptions of police and relations with the community, police legitimacy, and community collective efficacy in targeted areas.