Beyond Crime Statistics

Local Leaders Looks to Signs that Residents Feel Safe to Track Progress on Public Safety Goals

Traditionally, mayors and police chiefs have measured public safety using crime statistics, such as the number of shootings and arrests. These data reflect reported crimes and law enforcement action but reveal little insight into residents’ experiences and their perceptions of safety. So, how do government leaders know if city residents actually feel safe?

This publication captures key lessons from the GPL’s Executive Workshop on Police Accountability and Public Safety, where mayors and senior leaders worked together to rethink how they assess residents’ sense of safety and distills them into: 

• A framework explaining why leaders need new safety perception measures, including four key areas where these measures can supplement traditional public safety metrics. 

• A set of potential behavioral measures that rely on cell phone, tax revenue, and public transit ridership data to provide nuanced, real-time information about residents’ sense of safety. 
• Case studies from real-world examples illustrating how other jurisdictions have designed and tested similar measures along with a checklist of recommended implementation strategies. 

Read the Publication

Read the publication to see how other cities are approaching this challenge and to identify ideas you can adapt in your own community.