Episode 242: McGruff the Crime Dog
Starting in the 80s, kids were given a directive by a rumple-coated anthropomorphic canine: Take a bite out of crime! This ad campaign permeated schools and television commercials in an effort to reduce crimes against kids. Its status as an advertising icon is legendary, but its efficacy as a crime prevention tool is questionable. This month’s minisode is McGruff the Crime Dog.
SOURCES
McGruff the Crime Dog, Ad Council: www.adcouncil.org/Our-Campaigns/The-Classics/Crime-Prevention.
"Jenny" Commercial, YouTube: https://youtu.be/sPUEITclmPs
About Us, National Crime Prevention Council: www.ncpc.org/about-us/
McGruff the Crime Dog, NCPC: https://www.ncpc.org/about-ncpc/history/#a
Ronald Reagan and the War on Drugs, History.com: www.history.com/news/ronald-reagan-and-the-war-on-drugs.
Why the War on Drugs Failed, The Heritage Foundation: www.heritage.org/drug-policy/commentary/why-the-war-drugs-failed.
Preventing Drug Use among Children and Adolescents, National Institute on Drug Abuse: www.drugabuse.gov/publications/preventing-drug-use-among-children-adolescents-in-brief/prevention-principles.
Prevention Programs, National Institute on Drug Abuse: www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prevention-programs.
McGruff the Crime Dog sentenced to 16 years for drugs, CW 39: https://cw39.com/cw39/mcgruff-the-crime-dog-sentenced-to-16-years-for-drugs/
Pot farm diagrams lead former 'McGruff' back to prison, Houston Chronicle: https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Pot-farm-diagrams-lead-former-McGruff-back-to-5201625.php
McGruff, nephew Scruff take bites out of crime, Little Elm Journal: https://starlocalmedia.com/littleelmjournal/news/mcgruff-nephew-scruff-take-bites-out-of-crime/article_fd7b991f-3b3f-5a68-9911-232fa816decc.html
McGruff the Crime Dog, Encyclopedia of Victimology and Crime Prevention: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Encyclopedia_of_Victimology_and_Crime_Pr/8kHrWPLLX54C?hl=en&gbpv=0
Child Welfare Information Gateway, US Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/can/people/sexabuse/
The voice behind McGruff the Crime Dog, Brattleboro Reformer: https://www.reformer.com/local-news/the-voice-behind-mcgruff-the-crime-dog/article_7d476b24-5b5d-5bc5-8ef1-66a6fb2c6d15.html
