In the old West End, an evening stroll could end in tragedy. Drug dealers swarmed the alleys and crime infested this four-block section of High Point, North Carolina, making outdoor activity dangerous. In the new West End, children romp unafraid through the streets and neighbors can enjoy an idle chat on their porches. The dramatic change is not the product of door-smashing sting operations, the typical tactic in the war on drugs. Rather, tribute belongs to a much calmer yet much more powerful strategy: the High Point West End Initiative.
The brainchild of John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor David Kennedy, the High Point West End Initiative combines community efforts and law enforcement to combat street-level drug activity and its associated crimes. In 2003, leaders in High Point began an eleven-step process that included identifying the primary offenders in the neighborhood and inviting them to a notification meeting with their families, law enforcement, and community stakeholders. In this face-to-face encounter, police warned drug dealers that their offenses were known and they would receive immediate punishment if they continued. Community representatives declared they would no longer tolerate crime on their streets. At the same time, they offered an array of resources to the drug offenders to equip them to change behavior.
The results of this partnership between police and community, between stern rebuke and help for change are quite promising. Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro report a drop in drug and violent crimes in the thirteen-week period after the notification meeting. Burglary, drug sales, assault, and robbery were two-thirds of the crimes in the neighborhood before the meeting, yet they made up only one-fifth after the meeting. Interviews with community residents indicated substantial increases in the neighborhood’s quality of life. These outcomes have piqued interest across the country. The U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance has invited eight cities to receive training and technical assistance to apply High Point’s model to their own drug crime problems. If their streets become anything like the new West End streets, the power of collaboration will be demonstrated yet again.
For more information on the High Point West End Initiative, check out:
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