The Online Catalog allows searching and browsing of information about the Florida State Archives’ holdings of over 48,000 cubic feet of state and local government records and historical manuscripts. The catalog provides descriptions of over 3,400 collections and lists the contents of containers and folders in many of those collections. For assistance with accessing and using State Archives collections, call our Reference Staff at 850.245.6719 or email us at archives@dos.myflorida.com.
The Help Stop Crime Program was a law enforcement public education program on crime prevention initiated by the Florida State government in June 1972 during the administration of Governor Reubin Askew. Established under the aegis of the Attorney General's Office, initially under the Department of Administration and by February 1976, under the Department of Legal Affairs, the goal of the program was to sensitize the public to crime and safety. This was borne out of the realization that law enforcement could not function optimally if the citizens were indifferent. It therefore provided public education and information to Florida residents on how to ensure their own safety and that of their larger community.
The program worked to raise the awareness of Floridians to crime, and encouraged them to consider themselves integral to the security apparatus of the state. By taking necessary precautions in their homes, businesses, cars, and being knowledgeable about criminal laws, they would "help stop crime" by making crime unattractive. It employed innovative public awareness campaign strategies to target crime and criminals who were often young people under the age of 21. The program worked towards this goal by partnering with civic organizations, the media, businesses, and other government agencies, conducting surveys, organizing seminars and conferences, and producing informative textual and graphic contents. The program was considered as a model for similar initiatives by other states.
Summary:
The series contains records that document the organization, activities, and functions of the Help Stop Crime Program. Most of these records are correspondence with individuals and organizations within and outside Florida, and even with other countries. Other records are memoranda, minutes of meetings, monthly reports, newspaper clippings, survey materials and results, crime statistics, polls, maps, sketches, legislation documents, bids and contracts, committee work, training materials, and program textual and graphic materials.
for detailed listing.