Recent studies of public information campaigns indicate they may have greater efficacy than the research of previous decades suggested. The persuasive impact of a national crime prevention campaign is investigated in the context of past and contemporary models of media effects, utilizing data from a national sample survey and a three-city panel survey. The findings suggest that the campaign had marked influences on individuals' cognitions, attitudes, and behaviors regarding crime prevention. Media campaign effects are contingent upon specific factors operative in given communication situations, involving given kinds of audiences.
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