Crimes during disaster - Research Paper Example

 Crimes during disaster How to prevent disaster crimes Crime is an incident or action of negligence which may cause damage or injury to the public morals or welfare of a person or state which may be prohibited; they include rape, theft, extortion, bribery and rooting among others. Whereas disaster is a calamitous situation which occur suddenly causing, loss of life, damage to property and life hardship. Examples of disasters include floods, hurricanes, volcano eruptions and fire incidences among others (Goel, 2009). Therefore, crime during a disaster is an offence committed during or after a disaster. Thus, this paper will discuss on how to prevent disaster crimes. Disaster crime prevention Although disaster crime rates have declined in recent years, society’s fear and perception of disaster crime is still high. Higher participation between law enforcers and members of communities should ensure that disaster crime rates are going down. Disaster crime prevention is the ideas that can assist reduce disaster crime and fear of public (Goel, 2009). People should take protection steps to safeguard themselves and their belonging by joining self defense or giving unique marks to their property. Businesses have to create crime prevention techniques in their work place, which may include employing security personnel and training employees on how to detect potential disaster crimes (Goel, 2009). As disaster crime protection measure, other businesses should employ assistance programs to educate their staffs about disaster crime prevention measures and offer assistance and support to victimized employees. Primary disaster crime prevention In this form of disaster crime prevention method, focuses on the conditions which may lead to the problem naturally. Examples may include abandoned buildings, and broken windows. These methods intends to alleviates these factors that may lead to disaster crime directly. One of the primary prevention is neighborhood disaster crime prevention (Goel, 2009). Neighborhood disaster crime prevention involves addressing factors which may lead to crime. It affects the perception and fear of disaster crime as well as the real crime preference. Members of the community should engage in disaster crime prevention and reduce the perception of fear of disaster crime. There are several approaches to neighborhood disaster crime prevention. The approach is to come up with a socially and cohesive awareness to the community where disaster crime cannot flourish. This method also consists of organized community teams and neighborhood watch program. Neighborhood crime prevention is one of the most successful methods if individuals participate in it actively from both local resources and citizens (Goel, 2009). Individuals should communicate to each other about the issues, and their concerns, assess the community requirements and accomplish through this method on disaster crime prevention. People should identify and locate resources which will assist in programs implementation on how to eradicate disaster crimes (Goel, 2009). On the other hand, citizens should create community policing and organize activities on how to do away with disaster crimes. Secondary disaster crime prevention Secondary disaster crime prevention is another form of prevention which focuses on potential opportunities or at-risk offenders, which may deter disaster criminal activities. The key tools applicable in this form of prevention are predictions and identifications (Goel, 2009). Once individuals are capable of predicting any future disaster occurrences, the potential to identify the opportunities or situations for disaster crime prevention and implement possible control measures will be easier. Therefore, individuals should at all the time be able to predict the future occurrences of the situations. By so doing, the control for disaster crimes will be at hand. Thus, the situation will remain controlled. Individuals may also take personal steps to safeguard themselves from becoming victims of disaster crime. They should organize several groups for dealing with the menace of disaster crimes. Also, individuals should allow other community members to engage in control programs participation, in crime prevention. There are many methods, which are applicable in situational disaster crime prevention. Situational crime prevention targets on controlling disaster crime and also disaster criminal behavior. However, not all techniques can control and prevent all disaster crimes (Goel, 2009). A few methods of situational crime prevention, such as opportunity reduction to commit disaster crime are used. Also, Individuals should keep themselves away from becoming victims of such crimes. Risk increasing Individuals should increasingly expose any potential disaster criminal behavior and increase the possible chances that someone will be able to identify the disaster criminal. They should ensure easy accessibility and exit to disaster crime locations Benefit denial-Individuals should reduce benefits of disaster criminal activities which may control the offender from engaging in disaster crimes. This may be achieved by removing the disaster crime target. Tertiary disaster crime prevention This form of crime prevention focuses on how to cut down the recidivism standard of disaster criminals. It ensures that there will be no recurrence of victimization. The basic level of tertiary crime disaster prevention nowadays is incapacitating. Although it may not prevent disaster criminals from engaging in crimes, it protects a number of people from current victimization in the criminal’s hands (Goel, 2009). The success of this method of disaster crime prevention in cutting down disaster crime depends on a number of factors. Individuals should engage in support of the program, local commitment and funding so as to boost its performance. Disaster crime prevention does not target any one group or program, but the engagement of all members of the community. There are many approaches in disaster crime prevention, which can be practiced at local levels. Members of the community should take an active role in victimization prevention, crime prevention, and fear reduction on disaster crime control. Communities and individuals should nurture and revitalize crime disaster organizations to prevent crimes, developing base activities and drills for crime disaster evacuation and other measures (Goel, 2009). They should also come up with support structures in communities to monitor any intention of disaster crime, which may arise. Individuals should establish police posts and headquarters to receive emergency news and notifications which will encourage the utilization and dissemination of disaster crimes. There should be emergency crime notification system, which uses fire detectors and one on one communication gargets to link people with the fire service firms. The creation of disaster control and prevention, sensitive information systems, will cater for people’s requirements and provide emergency information about disasters like earthquakes, floods, landslides and high tides. Individuals should promote measures to educate people to vacate dangerous areas and sites in times of disaster. They should distribute disaster prevention materials such as pamphlets to residents to guide them on how to control such situations (Goel, 2009). Conclusively, although disaster crime rates have declined in recent years, society’s fear and perception of disaster crime is still high. Therefore, individuals should come up with community disaster prevention methods to control and prevent disaster crimes. They should create emergency networks and reporting systems to alert people about the on-coming disasters like fire, landslides, floods and earthquakes. Disaster crime prevention is the ideas that can assist reduce disaster crime and fear of public. People should take protection steps to safeguard themselves and their belonging. Businesses have to create crime prevention techniques in their work place, which may include employing security personnel and training employees on how to detect potential disaster crimes. Higher participation between law enforcers and members of communities should ensure that disaster crime rates are going down. Individuals should increasingly expose any potential disaster criminal behavior and increase the possible chances that someone will be able to identify the disaster criminal. As disaster crime protection measure; other businesses should employ technical assistance programs to educate their staffs about disaster crime prevention measures and offer assistance and support to victimized employees. References Goel, S. (2009). Crisis management: master the skills to prevent disasters. New Delhi: Global India Publications. Read More