More uniformed officers can deter crime, but there are costs to weigh : NPR

As the Trump administration expands its anti-crime initiative aimed at Democratic-led cities, criminologists are watching to see how effective the federal interventions will be in deterring crime.

There's special interest in the effect of the National Guard, which don't have direct policing powers. In Washington, they were often seen stationed near tourist sites, and were employed to pick up litter. But some research suggests their visible presence could make a difference.

Jerry Ratcliffe, professor of criminology at the University of Pennsylvania, compares the Guard deployments to the United Kingdom's police community support officers, who wear uniforms but lack traditional police powers.

"And a strong study in the UK found that when they were deployed to crime hot spots, we ac