Taking a collective and proactive approach to reduce crime

Aug 29, 2015 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
I refer to your editorial dated August 24, and captioned “Crime fighting should be a threefold process”. I will agree with you on this.
In a letter dated August 7, captioned “Crime preventing measures”, I highlighted the three crime prevention measures that will help to reduce the incidence of crime.
I mentioned as being social, situational and tertiary crime prevention. I have stated before that in order to achieve results they must work together. I will once again outline the importance of the three crime prevention measures which you have mentioned.
Social crime prevention gives much needed attention to the ‘root causes’ of crime, especially the forces that contribute to delinquency, drug abuse, and a host of related adolescent problems. Therefore, it is important that the business community assists in formulating plans in helping to reduce the degrading social condition in some communities. For example by providing jobs and assisting in developing programmes for the youth.
Situational crime prevention is directed at stopping the problem before it happens. This could involve reducing opportunities for crime, such as using robbery control policies, or strengthening community and social structures that influence an individual’s likelihood of committing a crime.
Tertiary crime prevention focuses on the operation of the criminal justice system and deals with offending after it has happened. The primary focus is on intervening in the lives of known offenders in an attempt to prevent them from re-offending, either through periods of incarceration, community-based sanctions, or monitoring during periods of probation.
Criminal justice system responses also seek to deter other potential offenders in the community by making an example of the convicted offender and educating the community concerning the penalties associated with crime.
It must be pointed out that all three measures must work together to achieve results; no one prevention measure will reduce crime. As you stated, crime will never be eradicated. However, crime can be reduced within any society so long as the crime prevention measures outlined above are adopted.
Over the past few years, there has been a major shift from the traditional view that crime prevention is the responsibility of the police, to the view that it is a collective responsibility. It has been argued that it is more effective, cost-efficient and beneficial, to take a collective and proactive approach to reduce if not prevent crime. The importance of collective action is recognized by crime prevention experts as the way forward.
All levels of government should play a leadership role in developing effective and humane crime prevention strategies, and in creating and maintaining institutional frameworks for their implementation and review.
Crime prevention considerations should be integrated into all relevant social and economic policies and programmes, including those addressing employment, education, health, housing and urban planning, poverty, social marginalization and exclusion. Particular emphasis should be placed on communities, families, children and youth at risk.
Cooperation/partnerships should be an integral part of effective crime prevention, given the wide-ranging nature of the causes of crime and the skills and responsibilities required to address them. This includes partnerships working across ministries and between authorities, community organizations, non-governmental organizations, the business sector and private citizens.
Crime prevention requires adequate resources, including funding for structures and activities, in order to be sustained.
Morris Springer

Latest News

Taking a collective and proactive approach to reduce crime

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Semi-Finals line up set for Maid Marian Wheat Up Women’s Cup 2024

Young Warriors Cricket Club fulfills its annual...

Chase’s Academic lift 2024 KFC Goodwill Int’l...

Remaining teams in the inaugural K&S/One...

Capital FC, Hi Stars, Silver Shattas win as...

Renuka, Mandhana consign West Indies to record...

Features/Columnists

This is our city

Breaking the Chains of Poverty: A need for political will

Jagdeo de GOAT

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]

Taking a collective and proactive approach to reduce crime

Share this:

Related

Similar Articles

The Glenn Lall Show | December, 2nd, 2024

Follow on Tik Tok @Glennlall

THE BLUNT OF THE DAY

Sports

Features/Columnists

Publisher’s Note

Weekend Cartoon

Bridge Watch

Demerara Harbour Bridge

> Berbice Bridge […]