The 2024 Scranton Community Health and Safety Landscape Analysis, prepared by the Washington, D.C.-based Muflehun, an independent non-profit organization, is the first step in understanding and evaluating the landscape of current and future social challenges that may impact community safety in the City of Scranton.
The Landscape Analysis provides an “as-is” assessment of the Scranton community, summarizes existing best practices across the nation, and develops a community safety plan to address potential population growth and demographic shifts. The Analysis draws on the most recent data available at this time, including five-year average statistics from 2018 to 2022 and additional information from 2023.
It combines a statistical analysis of incidence rates, patterns, and trends over time with qualitative interviews and feedback to provide greater context to those facts and figures, creating data-driven approaches tailored to the unique needs of this community.
Among its major findings, this Analysis celebrates the growing number of service calls for the Scranton Police Department (SPD) that are initiated by officers. This proactive approach to policing, which accounted for more than 25 percent of all calls in 2023, indicates the current ability of the SPD to prevent and reduce crime. It also includes recommendations from the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) on improving and updating policies and procedures regarding the hiring of police officers. The SPD implemented several new standards prior to the completion of this Analysis including eliminating residency requirements for officers to welcome aspiring officers from beyond Scranton’s city limits and testing officers through a more comprehensive and nationally recognized Internet-based testing platform for greater visibility and accessibility.
It also recognizes the need for a more holistic approach to public safety, public health, and well-being that includes co-responder models. Relying on police to be the primary responders to societal issues is not an effective strategy. “Law enforcement is often on the front lines in responding to community concerns, even if the concerns themselves are not within a traditional policing scope,” according to report.
Scranton’s diverse population and improved community safety, led by the SPD, are some of the “most protective features” the Analysis shows in preventing violent crime. Further, it identifies the most significant risks to increased violent crime and our most important assets to prevent it. High risk factors include housing and access to safe housing, education quality, health risks, social participation, and income inequality.
Finally, it shows a need for improved coordination between the multiple service providers that offer free or subsidized services to Scranton residents. In examining 154 such organizations and government agencies, it found often that some facilities are underutilized while others are overburdened.
The Analysis offers clear and actionable recommendations to improve the way that Scranton can coordinate with service providers, hire and train police officers, communicate with residents about available resources, and prepare for the City’s future.
Last modified: August 14, 2024
