Effects of Commercialization Crime Prevention Industry - Essay Example

Crime Prevention Industry: Effects of Commercialization Crime Prevention Industry Name Tutor Institution Course Date Table of Contents Table of Contents 2 Commercialization Crime prevention industry 3 Introduction 3 Factors Influencing Growth of Crime Industry 4 Policing terrorism 4 Global trend 5 Advantages of the private security firms 6 Dangers of private security 6 Threat to national security 6 Source of Organized Crime 7 Reluctance in the national security 8 Conclusion 8 Commercialization Crime prevention industry Introduction Crime control face new challenges such as terrorism control in many parts of the world (Byrne and Marx 2011). In addition, invasion by refugees from other countries due to poverty violence and food shortage have increase the incidences and variety of crime (Felson, 2009). The social and cultural problems in today’s century have become so diverse and demanding (Ransley and Mazerolle, 2008). For instance in Australia police have to deal with latest economic and technological crimes. Challenges such as mental illness, anti-social traits among the citizens widen the occurrences of crime to be more than drug and poverty-related crime. According to Felson (2009), nNew categories of offenses are emerging that cannot be effectively countered by the available policing forces. Police have been put on alert to dealt with more serious and sophisticated crime that. The factors responsible for the changes in nature of crime include technology, social and economic factors (Joel and Michael, 2009). The trends tend to undergo quick changes, and that make them so complicated and overwhelming. The trend calls for the need to expand on crime control approach to counter the diversified crime occurrences. There has been the emergence of private firms that are willing to provide security services such as crime control on behalf of government security (Shaw, 2010). In Australia, the correctional facilities have been privatized, and the privatization trend of security is taking over in many parts of the world. This privatization marks the growth of crime prevention industries that offer services such as residential security, institutional security, and internet security among others. These private firms are tasked to handle mostly petty forms of crime and reducing the workload of the police (Barak, 2009). This paper looks at the factors that have lead to the growth of security industry in Australia and around the world. It will also discuss the dangers that are associated with the commercialization of crime. Factors Influencing Growth of Crime Industry As stated earlier, criminal offenses have been evolving over the past and to date, it is a broad field that demands a diversified approach. There are several changes that took place and still take place that are responsible for the evolution of crimes in the 21st century. This section will discuss the new trends that call for a diversified approach in crime control. Policing terrorism Terrorism has proven to be a new form of crime that hides behind religious believers of some world’s known religions (Ransley and Mazerolle, 2008; Joel and Michael, 2009). The most memorable terrorism acts that the world will remember for years to include the Times Tower bombing in the U.S.A, the Madrid Bombing, the London Bombing and other chains of terrorism acts in Africa. The main concern here is the challenge of radicalization of believers to kill for faith. The radicalized faithful are willing and ready to die in the process since they have been indoctrinated with false promises. The main aim of terrorism is always to send a political or a religious message. Terrorism has become frequent and unpredictable as a terrorist attack at the least expected moment. It is still a challenge to handle this form of crime since the concept of religious discrimination has to be avoided. Even if a known religion is known for radicalizing its believers, not all the religion is at fault. The introduction of privatization of security makes the private security firms diversify the watch over the innocent. The private security firms help in surveillance techniques and personnel especially in social areas, shopping malls and learning institutions (Barak, 2009). Global trend Empowering of the private security firms has become a global trend that every country strives to embrace (Minnaar A, 2004). Private security firms have emerged, thus introducing a new concept of private policing. The private security firms are allowed only to have the capacity to handle the local crimes in the involve less of Arsenal use. These firms are required to be registered, recognized by the government and work closely with the main government security system (Byrne and Marx 2011). This trend has taken over the world, and many countries have been convinced to adopt this measure so as to diversify the approach towards crime prevention and control. According to Joel and Michael, 2009The private policing system has proven to offer more useful information to the government security concerning security crime prevention. The private security firms mainly services that include private property, training on security and safety, providing a reactive response to minor security concerns, alerting the government security when necessary, offering surveillance services and technology and installing of the security system. Other services include vehicles and device tracking, drug and illegal substance tracking, firearm and explosive tracking. Many countries have still not licensed private security personnel to carry firearms thus limiting their capacity in fire-arm related crimes and terrorism. Privatization of correctional facilities is taking shape in New Zealand and Australia which helps the government solve congestion issues in government correctional facilities (Crewe et al, 2011) Advantages of the private security firms According to Minnaar (2004), there are many advantages that private security firms have made many governments accept their services. The security firms can offer useful intelligence information to the government. The private security firms offer a diversified approach towards security prevention that eases the work of the national security agents. Private security firms can prevent petty criminal activities thus the government security agencies are able to direct enough resources towards serious crimes such as terrorism. Surveillance is one service that private firms have invested. This service provides useful information in events of crimes through the provision of evidence to government security. According to Rizzo and Hayes, 2012), privatization of security helps the government save funds directed towards security services. Private correctional facilities have been more cost effective in Australia. Dangers of private security Despite the many advantages that private policing provides, there are some associated dangers that may occur as the trend continues to take charge. The private security firms pose a danger to the national security and intelligence and can be a source of organized crimes. Threat to national security Private firms may be useful in giving the government diversified approach in crime prevention (Minnaar, 2004). These companies also offer useful information to government security agencies concerning crimes. However, there is a threat to the government security especially the national intelligence services. It becomes more complicated when senior security official owns such companies, or the security firms are given more power to investigate. The private firms will eventually have more intelligence information than the central government. This can be serious concern to the government and make it vulnerable. Besides, government security may overly on the private firm intelligence information that may not be true. This can jeopardize the security measures taken by government security. If given a chance, some of these private firms can invest more sophisticated systems than what a government security own. It will be a threat to the national intelligence if private security firms have more technical capacity than the government. In Australia, prisoners managed to escape from a private correction facility and went ahead to commit another crime (Rizzo and Hayes, 2012). Such an event indicates that the safety of the public cannot entirely be entrusted to private firms. Source of Organized Crime Private security firms can be a dangerous source of intelligently organized crimes that can haunt the government security (Shaw, 2010). As mentioned before, many security firms provide the government security agencies with intelligence information and even work together in solving security issues. Through this, the private security firms understand the various strengths and weaknesses of the government security agencies. According to Shaw (2010), malicious individuals can take this opportunity to gather intelligence information from the government intelligence and use it to organize crimes. It is more of a challenge when these security firms are given the opportunity to carry fire-arms. The wide spread of citizens of a country having such weapons can become a threat to the national security. The private security personnel may mishandle the weapons or use it for more organized criminal motives. A terrorist can take this opportunity to invest in private security firms that can be an important channel in achieving their mission. The concept of privatization of security has proved to be good business for entrepreneurs (Welch and Turned, 2008). However, privatization of security can create an opportunity for private firms to exploit the public since accountability of such firms is low (Andrew, 2006). Reluctance in the national security One of the dangers of continuous growth of private firms is the fact that the government security may become reluctant in their duties (Idriss et al., 2010). Private security firms may seem to prevent many crimes from occurring that may satisfy the public. However, this cannot be a long-term satisfaction as crimes must happen at one point or another (Joel and Michael, 2009). If security firms become reluctant, crime will continue to evolve and pose a new challenge overwhelming to a government’s intelligence. Conclusion Crimes have been evolving for many years now, and new forms of crime have emerged. Government security alone cannot handle all current security issue effectively. Private security firms have come up with a back-up solution to security issues especially crime prevention. Private security firms have many advantages that ease the work of the government security regarding intelligence informing and crime prevention. This is one factor that has led to the growth of private security industry. Another factor that has led to the growth of this industry is the global trends. This step towards crime control may pose danger to the national security and intelligence, cause reluctance in the national security and can be a source of organized crimes. Read More