A new report by the Department of Justice and Office of Community Oriented Policing Services examines the difficulties of policing urban parks. “Dealing with Crime and Disorder in Urban Parks” discusses how everything from maintenance to design to “soft crimes,” such as graffiti and vandalism, can affect whether a park becomes a desirable place for recreation, or a magnet for illegal activity. Suggested solutions for rehabilitating problem parks include blocking certain entrances, making landscaping changes to eliminate hidden areas and deploying officers and civilians to confront lawbreakers.
Click here to read the full report.