Increases in Mass Incarceration and the Efficacy of Community Engagement and Outreach Programming of Project Safe Neighborhoods
Open Access
- Author:
- Muldoon, Mary
- Area of Honors:
- Community, Environment, and Development
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Justine F Lindemann, Thesis Supervisor
Katherine Yoder Zipp, Thesis Honors Advisor - Keywords:
- community engagement
politics of knowledge
democracy - Abstract:
- Since the beginning of mass incarceration in the United States, a term formally used in the 1970’s, government and private funding has heavily poured into the prison system. The term “mass incarceration” describes a deeply rooted American system of oppression that disproportionately affects marginalized communities and communities of color. Because of the increase in enforcement throughout the last quarter of the 20th century, rates of crime increased, and state and federal funding continued to go towards prisons for upkeep. That harsh enforcement or crackdown on crime did not function the way it intended. Because of this, the federal government finally began to think about new approaches to the issues of crime. How can they prevent criminal activity? What are the underlying socioeconomic factors that lead to increase rates of crime? These questions led to trial efforts to engage law enforcement with community members. In the 1990’s, under the Bush administration, the Weed and Seed Program was launched through the Department of Justice. In effort to mitigate crime and create community relationships, the program began in a few major cities, eventually reaching over three hundred cities in the United States, which eventually ended formally in 2009, but in most states years before. In 2001, Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) began, with the intent to create a more integrative and comprehensive approach to community safety, the program would include partnerships with state and local governments, community leaders, and local stakeholders while working closely with social services in the area. The goal of PSN has remained the same- to increase community safety through engagement, prevention and intervention, and enforcement- yet the methods and practice of the programming has adapted to community needs over time. Community theory describes the ways in which communities form and develop, which is critical in the overall understanding of how PSN functions and can improve its efforts. Additionally, the role of power and expertise is closely tied to the way in which programmers are able to connect and develop mutual respect with community members in the area. The primary focus of this study is to explore the programming principles and practice in both Baltimore and the Washington, DC. It has shown that the effectiveness is contingent on the ability to for experts to develop trust with community members while decentralizing power and decision making.