Taking the offensive to prevent crime : how seven cities did it

Abstract: Seven cities (Arlington, Austin, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio) participated in the Texas City Action Plan to Prevent Crime (T-CAP) through funding made available by the Bureau of Justice Assistance. The T-CAP initiative is based on several core beliefs. One is that the crime situation will not change without a coordinated approach involving government, the community, and the individual. Another is that a joint planning effort is needed that engages city leaders and multiple municipal agencies. The T-CAP process in the seven cities focused effort where action was needed and productive, maximized the use of existing resources, and built community partnerships. Crime prevention actions generated by city action plans were diverse in subject, depth, and approach. The plans reflected various local interests, concerns, and resources. Through T- CAP, crime prevention was elevated to a higher priority on each city's agenda, and citizens became actively involved in the T-CAP network. Profiles of the seven cities involved in the T-CAP initiative describe the crime prevention setting, city demographics, city organization, key issues, and action plan goals. Key lessons from the T-CAP experience are summarized that concern leadership, planning group representation, public awareness, training, and the T-CAP process itself. A checklist for starting the T-CAP planning process is included. Meaningful crime prevention actions are noted, such as community policing, youth initiatives, and crime prevention by design. 12 photographs and 1 figure.