In this scenario, you are the police chief of the city, Beautiful Views. While working full time, you are also getting your Masters in Public Administration and are currently taking a class on the economic analysis of crime.
In recent years, the city of Beautiful Views has experienced serious community challenges. The largest factory in town closed two months ago. Unemployment is at an all-time high. The once vibrant and bustling downtown is no longer a destination for shoppers and visitors. Several downtown businesses have closed, making the downtown area ripe for vandalism and petty crimes. Crime is higher than it has ever been in Beautiful Views, and housing values are declining.
Last week, a five-year-old girl and her mother who lived in a low-income neighborhood were violently murdered in their home. The story made national news. Reporters from across the country have arrived in Beautiful Views to cover the story and report on the latest developments. Police have identified a suspect. After setting up a hotline seeking information related to the suspect’s whereabouts, they received a tip leading to an arrest. The suspect has been identified as a local juvenile male with a criminal record, including drug and property crimes from the same low-income neighborhood the crime occurred in, who has recently dropped out of high school.
Interviews are currently in progress.
Neighborhood watch groups from across the city have banded together and are demanding answers. The Chamber of Commerce has become a vocal advocate for change to protect the economic interests of its members—small and large businesses operating in Beautiful Views. The City Council members see this as a watershed moment for the city. The city must make some changes, and those changes must happen now.
The mayor comes to you and asks you to hold a press conference in two weeks. He asks you to set forth a plan to “turn the corner” in terms of crime. He anticipates this press conference to garner the attention of concerned citizens, local reporters, and state and national media outlets.
