What was the primary focus of the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment conducted in 1977?

The primary focus of the Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment was to investigate the effect of random (preventive) patrol on crime rates and community perception of safety. This groundbreaking study examined how varying levels of police patrol affected the incidence of crime and the public's feeling of security. The experiment was designed to determine whether increasing or decreasing the presence of police patrols in certain areas would have any significant impact on crime rates.

The study involved three different types of beats: some had increased patrol levels, some had regular patrols, and others had no patrols at all. The findings showed that changes in patrol levels did not significantly alter crime rates or the public's perception of safety, which led to significant discussions about the efficiency of resource allocation in policing and contributed to the re-evaluation of traditional policing strategies.

Other options, while relevant to policing and crime, do not reflect the main goal of this specific experiment. They address different aspects of community policing or response strategies that were not the central focus of this particular study. This emphasizes the uniqueness of the Kansas City experiment in its approach to evaluating the direct impact of police presence on crime and the community.