Background:
In urban areas experiencing concentrated drug-related crime and social vulnerability, traditional law enforcement approaches often prove insufficient. There are increasing concerns about youth being recruited for or attracted to drug-related crime in such areas. A small city in the Netherlands, implemented an innovative neighborhood-level intervention that prioritizes community building and trust development between residents and local institutions.
Objective:
This study aimed to examine and document the implementation and impact of this flexible, needs-based crime prevention intervention in a high-crime and socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhood. Additionally, the research sought to translate findings into an accessible narrative format (storytelling) to effectively communicate the intervention's value and methodology to policymakers and stakeholders.
Methods:
Using an ethnographic approach, participant observation and in-depth interviews conducted over eight months, this study documented the intervention's approach to addressing neighborhood crime. The findings were subsequently crafted into a narrative to illuminate the intervention's impact.
Results:
The results highlight how crime prevention in vulnerable neighborhoods can benefit from a long-term approach aimed at social infrastructure development. The intervention's "do what is necessary" philosophy proved challenging to capture in traditional project management terms. However, the approach fits well with the complex dynamics of crime concerns and underlying socioeconomic challenges.
Implications:
This study demonstrates the value of flexible, community-centered approaches to crime prevention, even when lacking hard measurable outcomes. The narrative presentation of the research findings provided policymakers with an accessible and nuanced understanding of complex community interventions. It may also help