An Empirical Investigation of the Stop Snitching Movement in Philadelphia

The Edward Byrne Memorial Discretionary Grants Program (Byrne Discretionary Program) helps local communities improve the capacity of local justice systems and provides for national support efforts. This project is authorized and funded through a line item in the FY 08 Congressional Budget. Funds should be used for purposes recommended by Congress.

The Saint Joseph's University will conduct an empirical investigation of the Stop Snitching Movement in Philadelphia. They seek to gain a better understanding of urban violence and the communication breakdown between the residents of inner city neighborhoods and the members of law enforcement charged with their protection. The proposed research will document the existence, extent, and origins of Stop Snitching in medium and high crime neighborhoods in Philadelphia, a city said to be in the grips of this movement. Saint Joseph's University will sample young people aged 14 ' 24 years old from high crime neighborhoods in Philadelphia. They will interview 150 young people from neighborhood tracts with a median household monetary income below 100 percent of the poverty level, according to the latest U.S. Census data. The research aims to document what it actually means to young people to live in neighborhoods where crime is salient.

NCA/NCF