Systematic Reviews of the effects of crime prevention measures

How well do crime preventive measures work?

Finding one's bearings in relation to a constantly growing body of research and drawing one's own conclusions is often difficult. This also applies to research on the effects produced by measures intended to combat crime. Systematic reviews are one means of helping people to pick their way through the jungle of research findings.

Systematic reviews combine a number of evaluations that are considered to satisfy a list of empirical criteria for measuring effects as reliably as possible. The results of these evaluations are then used to calculate and produce an overall picture of the effects that a given measure does and does not produce. Such studies are also valuable in relation to attempts to assess the circumstances in which a certain measure works.

Systematic reviews aim to combine the results from a number of studies in order to produce a more reliable overview of the possibilities and limitations associated with a given crime prevention strategy. Below you will find a selection of summaries of systematic reviews that consists of the best available research on a specific question by:

• Identifying explicit search criteria and international scope;
• Analysing relevant studies (editorial review); and
• Using transparent research procedures to find and evaluate the effects of different crime preventive measures.

The effects of improved street lighting in reducing crime

• The summary describes the results of a Campbell Systematic Review that assesses the available research evidence on the effects of improved street lighting on crime in public space - which settings, against which crimes, and under what conditions it is most effective.

The effects of neighbourhood watch in reducing crime

• The main aim of this summary is to give an overview about a systematic review of evaluations of neighbourhood watch based on an updated and extended version of a systematic review conducted for the Campbell Collaboration Crime and Justice Group.

The effects of mentoring interventions in reducing crime

• Mentoring is usually intended to be a method of both reducing re-offending and increasing positive life outcomes such as education, training and employment. The purpose of this summary is to elaborate what has been learned from past evaluations to estimate the effect of mentoring on reoffending, presented in a Campbell Systematic Review.

The effects of CCTV in reducing crime

• Closed-circuit television (CCTV) is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors often used for surveillance in areas that may need monitoring such as banks, casinos, airports, military installations, and convenience stores. The main objective of this review is to assess the available research evidence on the effects of CCTV surveillance cameras on crime in public space (public housing, car parks, public transport, other settings). Studies that investigated the effects of CCTV on crime were included.

The effects of early parenting programs in reducing crime.

• Early family/parent training (EFPT) programs constitute a set of methods for reducing children’s behavioural problems and later delinquency that for some time have been the focus of considerable attention. The review provides an overview about the evaluation of early family/parent training programs.

The effects of self-control programs with young people to reduce delinquency.

• This systematic review evaluates the research on the effectiveness of programs designed to improve self-control up to age 10 among children and adolescents, and assesses the effects of these programs on self-control and delinquency/crime.

Survey on the level of information among students on risks associated with Internet use

• In the study the Romanian Crime Research and Prevention Institute evaluated the project ,,Strengthening the capacity of the Romanian law enforcement agencies to prevent and investigate internet child pornography cases”, initiated in 2010 by the Romanian Police, together with the Norwegian Police. The project aims were to provide more information for target groups (children, parents, teachers) for preventing child pornography online, for this reason the Crime Research and Prevention Institute carried out a survey in February 2010. The study also presents the evaluation results.