Crime Reduction and Prevention - Case Study Example

Crime Reduction and Prevention Proposal of Neighborhood Crime Prevention One of the indicators of the overall economic and social health of the city of New York would be the safety and the security of its neighborhoods (United Nations, 2002). Moreover, secure and safe neighborhoods are essential to the entrenchment of common moral values and quality lives for the citizens of New York City. Unfortunately, crimes in the neighborhoods of the City have continuously instilled fear and anxiety among the city dwellers and visitors alike. Most affected by crimes in the City are the poor neighborhoods where fear and mistrust are at their peaks and the social bond among residents severely vulnerable. The main reasons for the high crime prevalence in such neighborhoods are the flourishing opportunities for crimes such as illegal drug and arms trade and possession, violence, and gun markets. If left unchecked and unchallenged, the souring crime levels may result in neighborhood or community neglect and disintegration. In addition, there would be little if any incentives for the citizens to invest both socially and economically in the neighborhoods marred with incidents of crimes and other disorder problems. To challenge this negative cycle caused by crimes and disorder problems in the City, there is need for all the stakeholders to formulate, implement, evaluate, and reform various crime prevention strategies that would ensure a safe and secure environment in the City for both its citizens and visitors (United Nations, 2002). This paper explores some of the effective policies that may be established by the security stakeholders in the City of New York to assist crime victims, prevent crimes, and achieve effective justice for all. In addition, the paper addresses the effects that criminological theory and research have had on contemporary and historical crime control policies in New York City. Criminology Theories and their Influence Various theories proposed by scholars and other stakeholders in the subject of criminology have been rather important in the fight against crimes in New York City. Among the theories of criminology that have contributed to the fight against crime in New York City is the ‘Broken Window’ theory. According to this theory, the smallest or least noticeable evidences of crimes should never be ignored. In New York City, minor indications of neglect and disintegration of life in the City’s neighborhoods such as abandoned cars and buildings, littered streets, and prostitution have been accorded the right attention by the law enforcement agencies as they are the precursors of more serious crimes such as gang activity, drug dealing, and violent crimes among others. To this effect, a ‘zero tolerance’ approach based on the ‘broken window’ theory has been implemented by different law enforcement agencies and personnel in New York City. The theory further postulates that the fear of crime inherent in the City’s neighborhoods and other related crime factors, which play numerous roles in creating crimes in the City should not be ignored by the authorities. Besides endeavoring to avail equal economic opportunities for all in the City, the City of New York authorities do not spare any efforts in seeking to strengthen the social bonds that hold the diverse residents of the City. In other terms, any efforts to make the neighborhood of the City safer and more secure have incorporated other development activities, which create and attract jobs and avail affordable services to the populace. Importantly, all the crime prevention projects in the City have been based on sound scientific evidences. Evidence based Crime Prevention One of the benefits of the various criminology theories to the fight against crime in the City of New York has been in the formulation and implementation of evidence-based approaches to crime prevention. Important in such approaches is the emphasis laid on the need for crime prevention policies in the City. These crime prevention plans emphasize aims, objectives, and the audiences of the various strategies developed. The various criminology theories thus provide support or evidence for the efficiency of the proposed crime prevention projects. Upon, the conclusion of a given crime prevention project, the same theories are applied to evaluate its effectiveness and success in preventing the targeted crimes in the City. Evidence-based crime prevention therefore refers to the process of identifying the facts that support the need for particular project then identifies the evidences of its success or failure upon its conclusion. There are three main stages in which the law enforcement agencies of New York City may implement their evidence-based crime prevention strategies. These stages are initial needs analysis, specific project analysis, and post program evaluation. At the initial needs analysis stage, the relevant authorities analyse the available evidences that support the need for a given prevention project/strategy. From police information, data, reports, and information from the local community, it is possible to support the implementation of a crime prevention project (Welsh & Farrington, 2006). The second stage involves supporting the success of the proposed strategy. Previous records of the successes of the projects elsewhere or in the same City could support its implementation and eventual success in similar circumstances. The third stage, the post program evaluation, entails the evaluation of the success or failure of a project relative to the attainment of set objectives and aims. The Role of Organizations The duty of preventing crime, assisting crime victims, and achieving equal justice to the City’s population should not be a preserve of the New York City’s Police Department. Rather, the whole community, both private and corporate citizens must participate in the implementation of the various crime prevention strategies and policies. At the forefront however, should be the relevant law enforcement agencies such as the police, followed by other stakeholder organizations. The police, together with these organizations should among other things; create a crime prevention master plan after a conclusive and exhaustive assessment of the City’s safety and security situation. In addition, these organizations should carry out environmental surveys of the City, taking note of crime-prone areas and other danger spots that may harbor criminals. For instance, there might be areas around highways that require more lighting since criminal activities such as illegal drug marketing are mostly founded to be located at the points where smaller roads connect with highways (Waller, 2006). The other major role of the organizations involved in crime-prevention in the City should be the coordination of communication between the local community and the law enforcement agencies. Unfortunately, it is always in crime-prone areas that communal communication is either irregular or absent. This coordination of communication, particularly with landowners/homeowners and apartment managers helps in the sharing of information about suspects or troublemakers in the City whenever they move from one residential area to another. By reporting on suspicious activities and individuals to the relevant authorities, the residents of the City would go a long way in helping the law enforcement agencies to prevent and control crime in the City (Skogan & Hartnett, 1997). The strategies with which the City’s authorities may prevent crimes could be long- or short-term. The type of strategies used notwithstanding, it is imperative that the relevant authorities sustain the productive and healthy relationship between the City’s police department on one hand and the local community and stakeholder organizations on the other. To this end, the authorities should keep and make easily accessible, all the necessary information and records of neighborhood projects and the contacts of their informants at the local levels (Skogan & Hartnett, 1997). It therefore pays to ensure other stakeholder agencies such as businesses, churches, community-based groups, and schools are involved in the City’s crime prevention strategies and activities. It would be an exercise in futility for the City of New York’s law enforcement agencies to try to prevent crime in a vacuum. That is, there must be established guiding principles on crime prevention in the City. These guidelines would be crucial in availing the appropriate tools and techniques for the development of crime prevention policies, strategies, and action plans in the City (World Health Organization, 2004). While the City may have the wherewithal to prevent crimes, crimes will always occur and there will always be crime victims to be protected and assisted. Assisting Crime Victims It is not enough to prevent, control, and fight crimes. It is similarly important that justice is done to all involved in a crime. While a suspect must be proven guilty or innocent in a court of law, the victims of a crime must also be protected from any further victimization or dangers by other parties that might be interested in their cases (Waller, 2006). Therefore, the New York City’s police and justice departments must ensure that crime victims are assisted and protected. Through the efficient administration of crime victim’s compensation funds and other related grants, the law enforcement agencies would be doing crime victims great service (Welsh & Farrington, 2006). Furthermore, through outreach programs and training on how to cope with the effects of crimes, the agencies would help crime victims by alleviating the suffering occasioned by crimes on their lives and those of their loved ones (Waller, 2006). Importantly, show of respect, understanding, and concern for victims of crimes such as rape, domestic, and gang violence are some of the most effective methods of alleviating their suffering. Whatever assistance is given to crime victims, respect, compassion, fairness, and efficiency should be the hallmark of these assistances. Funds should be availed for victims’ medical and compensation bills, more so for the bereaved families in case a crime victim dies. The other avenues/programs through which crime victims may be assisted include sexual assault prevention and crisis services programs, statewide victim notification system, court appointed special advocates, children’s advocacy centers, crime victim civil legal services, and sexual assault services program grant. The importance of these programs is evident in the roles they play in reducing or alleviating the impacts of crimes on innocent victims and their families (Welsh & Farrington, 2006). The police department and the City’s justice system must therefore endeavor to uphold the rights and the well-being of crime victims both within and without the precincts of their premises and jurisdiction. However, the most important of crime victim assistance programs and services are those concerned with the provision of various services to crime victims. These services include assisting violent/domestic/child abuse crime victims to access the necessary counseling and treatment. Conclusion New York, perhaps among the biggest cities of the world, is faced with myriad crime-related issues, crises, and challenges. The authorities have however been equal to the task as far as crime prevention, control, and victim protection/assistance are concerned. Nevertheless, some proposal on victim assistance, equal justice, and crime prevention approaches are still in order. Evidence-based approaches to crime prevention are quite common in most metropolitans in the world today. The City of New York’s justice department should therefore embrace these practices, which emphasize prevention strategy aims, objectives, and their attainment when formulating and implementing strategies. It is only through the implementation of these strategies and projects that the City’s law enforcer and criminal justice system would ensure equal justice to crime suspects/offenders and victims through supported medication, counseling, and financial compensation. References Skogan, W., and Hartnett, S. (1997). Community policing: Chicago style, New York: Oxford University Press. United Nations (2002). Economic and social council, guidelines for the prevention of crime. New York: United Nations, Economic and Social Council, Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention. Waller, I. (2006). Less law, more order: the truth about reducing crime. West Port: Praeger Imprint Series. Welsh, B., and Farrington, D. (2006). Preventing crime: what works for children, offenders, victims, and places. New York: Springer. World Health Organization (2004). World report on road traffic injury prevention: summary. Geneva. Read More