MEASUREMENT ERROR IN CALLS‐FOR‐SERVICE AS AN INDICATOR OF CRIME*
Open accessAbstract
Several recent studies have used records of calls‐for‐service (CFS) to police 911 centers to measure crime at the address, neighborhood, and city level. This article examines the limitations of this “new” indicator of crime. After pointing out several types of error in dispatch records, we use data from an observational study of policing in 60 neighborhoods to examine empirically how these errors might bias CFS‐based crime counts and discuss the consequences of such bias. We conclude with suggestions for future research on the validity of CFS as an indicator of crime.
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Call takers and dispatchers share cautious sentiment and err toward assuming danger when caller information is ambiguous, leading to overuse of police in emergency response.
“That cautious sentiment is shared by call takers and dispatchers who err toward assuming danger when the information provided by a caller is ambiguous, leading to overuse of police in emergency response (Gillooly, 2020;Klinger & Bridges, 1997).”
From Diverting 911 calls: Lessons from early adopting urban jurisdictions (2024) · cites this paper as Klinger & Bridges, 1997
Cites
HOT SPOTS OF PREDATORY CRIME: ROUTINE ACTIVITIES AND THE CRIMINOLOGY OF PLACE*
SHERMAN, L. W., GARTIN, P. R., & BUERGER, M. E. (1989) · Criminology · doi:10.1111/j.1745-9125.1989.tb00862.x · Cited by 2,104 · see citing works
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PROBLEM‐ORIENTED POLICING IN VIOLENT CRIME PLACES: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED EXPERIMENT*
BRAGA, A. A., WEISBURD, D. L., WARING, E. J., MAZEROLLE, L. G., SPELMAN, W., & GAJEWSKI, F. (1999) · Criminology · doi:10.1111/j.1745-9125.1999.tb00496.x · Cited by 583 · see citing works
"The Concentration and Stability of Gun Violence at Micro Places in Boston, 1980-2008
Braga, A. A., Papachristos, A. V., & Hureau, D. M. (2010) · Journal of Quantitative Criminology · doi:10.1007/s10940-009-9082-x · Cited by 470 · see citing works
The Effects of Hot Spots Policing on Crime
Braga, A. A. (2001) · The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science · doi:10.1177/000271620157800107 · Cited by 390 · see citing works
Reporting to the police in western nations: A theoretical analysis of the effects of social context
Goudriaan, H., Lynch, J. P., & Nieuwbeerta, P. (2004) · Justice Quarterly · doi:10.1080/07418820400096041 · Cited by 178 · see citing works
Effects of Hot Spots Policing on Crime <sup/>
Braga, A. A. (2007) · Campbell Systematic Reviews: Better Evidence for a Better World · doi:10.4073/csr.2007.1 · Cited by 157 · see citing works
Mirage of Police Reform: Procedural Justice and Police Legitimacy
University at Albany, S., Worden, R. E., McLean, S. J., & John F. Finn Institute for Public Safety, U. (2017) · Luminos · doi:10.1525/luminos.30 · Cited by 141 · see citing works
Diverting 911 calls: Lessons from early adopting urban jurisdictions
Midgette, G., & Reuter, P. (2024) · Criminology & Public Policy · doi:10.1111/1745-9133.12680 · Cited by 21 · see citing works
- Authors
- KLINGER, D. A., & BRIDGES, G. S.
- Affiliations
- University of Houston (US)
- University of Washington (US)
- Venue
- Criminology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 1997-11
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 705-726
- ISSN
- 0011-1384 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-9125
- OpenAlex
- W2020651490
- Cited by
- 173
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 8 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 9.45
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Criminology (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Office of Justice Programs
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Crime Patterns and Interventions
- Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Policing Practices and Perceptions
- Social Sciences › Law › Criminal Justice and Penology
- Keywords
- calls for service, crime measurement, measurement error, crime counts, neighborhood crime
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