In April 1999, the Richmond, Virginia, Police Department, in conjunction with other city agencies, began a crackdown and cleanup initiative in seven city neighborhoods. This article reports on an evaluation of this “Blitz to Bloom” initiative that was conducted in the first of the seven neighborhoods. Pre-and postcrackdown data on reported crime and calls for service were analyzed using difference of means tests. A 92% reduction in reported crime occurred in the target area during the month-long crackdown period. Significant reductions in reported crime persisted in some parts of the neighborhood surrounding the area up to 6 months after the crackdown ended. No displacement was observed into the surrounding neighborhood. Although reductions in crime were being recorded, calls for service increased in the neighborhood after the crackdown. Additional research is called for that examines the impact of police maintenance efforts on the continuation of crackdown-induced reductions in reported crime.
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