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The Nation of Islam Security
Agency, Inc.: A Model for Public
Housing Crime Prevention?*
Introduction
This paper centers on the Nation of Islam Security Agency (NOISA), which evolved from the Nation of Islam religious organization. Specifically, it looks at NOISA's effectiveness in handling crime in Baltimore's high-rise public housing developments. Before discussing Baltimore's specific experience with NOISA, a brief history of the agency is in order.
In April 1988, the Nation of Islam responded to the requests of residents for assistance in patrolling drug-infested complexes in Washington, DC. Popkin (1994) described the initial patrol as follows: "Teams of Farrakhan-following 'Dope-Busters chased drug dealers away from the Mayfair Mansions housing project in Washington, D.C." (p. 40). This patrol was met with resistance from neighborhood dealers and led to a violent encounter between members of the Nation of Islam and the drug dealers. Carter and Horwitz (1988) have provided the following description of the incident: "About 10 men, most of them in dark suits and bow ties, [were] kicking and stomping on the man, who according to witnesses had threatened the Muslims" (p. Al). Later, the perpetrator was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, and a member of the Nation of Islam was arrested for his actions against a television cameraman who tried to film the altercation (p. A17). Two years after this initial patrol, NOISA was officially established.
Because of its success in Washington, DC, NOISA received contracts to provide security in subsidized apartment complexes in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Baltimore (Holmes, 1994, p. A18). During its peak, the agency serviced about 30 sites nationwide. In addition, the employee roster grew from 25 employees to over 300 (Muhammad, 1995).
NOISA prides itself on its innovative approach, which focuses on community involvement with an emphasis on youths. The agency specifically attributes its success to the "proper handling of people" (Muhammad, 1995, p. 3). The agency asserts that the following five-point program is the nucleus of its success in public housing:
1. Weekly on-site video presentations that expose youths and the community to positive role models and continually reinforce the practice of positive social behavior
2. Door-to-door awareness visitations, during which residents can become familiar with NOISA and share with representatives their vision of...