This technique was a way for police to systematically identify patterns of crime and the potential causes of those patterns. For example, if police believe that a well-known tavern has received numerous violent calls because it serves drinks to intoxicated people, they may attempt to revoke the tavern's liquor license. The results of these studies showed a statistically significant average effect in reducing crime and disorder calls, crime reports, and other measures (Weisburd et al. 2008). Even more useful will be the results of a direct comparison between problem solving and pure patrolling in a randomized experiment currently being conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum. By comparing the different techniques of routine patrol and problem-oriented policing in the same types of hot spots within the same police department, the experience of the Police Executive Research Forum will provide the best evidence of the cost-effectiveness of both approaches. This could potentially dictate the direction policing would take in the short term.