Premium
OPPORTUNITY IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: THE ROLE OF PUBLICITY IN CRIME PREVENTION
Author(s) -
JOHNSON SHANE D.,
BOWERS KATE J.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
criminology and public policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.6
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1745-9133
pISSN - 1538-6473
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-9133.2003.tb00011.x
Subject(s) - publicity , advertising , criminology , reduction (mathematics) , psychology , business , marketing , mathematics , geometry
Research Summary: Data concerning burglary rates and, among other things, the timing and intensity of publicity campaigns were acquired for 21 burglary reduction schemes. Statistical analyses showed clear effects of publicity as follows: (1) schemes that employed stand‐alone publicity campaigns were the most effective in reducing burglary; (2) time‐series analyses demonstrated that burglary reduction was coincident with intense periods of publicity; and (3) across the 21 schemes, there was evidence of a drop in the burglary rates prior to the implementation of the schemes, a so‐called anticipatory benefit. Policy Implications: The results suggest that the effectiveness of crime reduction schemes may be significantly enhanced by publicity. Promoting schemes prior to their implementation may also produce an anticipatory benefit, as was observed here. This suggests that carefully planned publicity campaigns may represent a powerful yet cost‐effective tool in crime prevention.