Rapid Response Initiative Aims To Keep People Calm, Aid Prevention

What people hear about crime from the news media may be exaggerated. That doesn't help anyone in the effort to prevent crime.

By Nicole Nasiatka, NCPC Staff

When a crisis situation such as a school shooting, violent home invasion, or a rash of carjacking incidents occurs, the public demands a response. The local news media is quick to pick up on tragic events, saturating every possible news channel with various accounts of the situation. They tell the public what happened, where it happened, when it happened, why it happened, and who it happened to, but they rarely share information that can help keep citizens from becoming victims. This can be a challenge for local law enforcement. Due to lack of resources, personnel, and time, law enforcement personnel are sometimes unable to relay crime prevention tips to the public themselves. So if the media skims over the issue, it’s very rare that the public gets the information they need.

When news of a violent crime first gets out, the public usually tends to feel frightened, and panic may ensue. People’s perceptions of crime historically overstate the extent and seriousness of the problem, and they think it’s worse than it really is. Although these reactions are only natural, they tend to escalate an already tense situation.

“When crime strikes a community people have one of two reactions,” said NCPC President and CEO Al Lenhardt. “They shrink in fear or they spring into action. In times like these, the National Crime Prevention Council wants people to take action.” Cooperation of the public is vital to law enforcement in the aftermath of a crime. A community that is well informed of a situation is more likely to assist law enforcement with community safety.

The National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) has supported law enforcement in its effort to get citizens involved in crime prevention for almost 30 years. In 2006, violent crime spiked nationwide for the second year in a row. NCPC decided to take action and conducted a survey of 197 law enforcement personnel about their need for and preferences regarding pre-produced, issue-specific messaging for the public.

NCPC found that eight out of ten participants felt strongly that the project would help them communicate quickly with the public about preventing specific crimes, would assist in ongoing communication, and would help calm public fears. In response this information, NCPC worked with The Advertising Council, Inc., to develop ten radio rapid response public service announcements (PSAs). Each PSA covers an issue that law enforcement personnel ranked as important in the survey. The topics include burglary, fraud, home invasion, kids and theft, prevention at work, school violence (for both kids and parents), senior fraud, sexual assault, and threats to children. Each PSA can be localized and will soon be available through NCPC.

“Rapid response PSAs will be a great tool to help keep our residents informed in times of crisis,” said Washington, DC, Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier. “One of the key issues facing us in law enforcement is getting the word out about what people can do to protect themselves and their families in various situations, from an up-tick in burglaries in their communities to suspected pedophiles who prey on their children. I am excited to take advantage of this new program to keep DC residents informed and reduce the panic that often arises in troubling situations.”

By having these PSAs available, law enforcement will be able to quickly help make the public aware of prevention strategies based on need. Researcher Mark Warr of the University of Texas-Austin said, "Given the ubiquity of messages about crime in our society and the costs of inaccurate information, it is incumbent on criminal justice officials to provide the public with reliable information about crime ...." NCPC hopes that by providing these public education resources, law enforcement will be able to communicate reliable information to the public in an effortless yet effective manner.