Over the past year anecdotal evidence from media reports has suggested disproportionate levels of crime and violence occurring at Circle K stores in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Criminal events depicted by the media often took the form of individuals engaging in some type of minor criminal activity at a Circle K, and the events spiraling out of control. As a consequence of these observations, and subsequent federally sponsored research examining problem places in Glendale, Arizona, faculty and staff from the Center for Violence Prevention and Community Safety at Arizona State University reached out to several valley police departments and requested official data to more systematically examine this potential problem. This report presents our findings and our recommendations.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Village is bounded by I-10 to the east, South Mountain to the north and the Gila River Indian Community to the west and south. Although most people are only aware of Ahwatukee Foothills for its planned community development, the village has its own history. The village is named after the once existing Ahwatukee Ranch which was one of the most beautiful and lavish houses when it was built in 1922.

A benchmark survey was conducted by MAG and ADOT in December of 2006 to determine initial attitudes and awareness of litter issues in Arizona and to evaluate littering behavior. A follow-up survey was then conducted in July 2008, at the end of the first two years of the campaign, to determine if any changes in awareness, attitudes or behavior were realized. Subsequent follow-up studies focused on Maricopa County residents.