Definition Community Safety - Coursework Example

COMMUNITY SAFETY Community safety refers to the acts of reducing and preventing the acts that leads to crimes in society. This helps communities live without the fear of crime perpetuated by criminals. It actually helps contain and prevent criminal activities in a given community. It is a means by which the community is able to be socially, economically and socially stable and peaceful. This is essence leads to peaceful coexistence in the community as well as increasing its productivity as the members of the community live without any fear regarding their safety. This also increases the interactions within the community. Some of the factors affecting community safety include drug abuse, unemployment, antisocial behavior, peer influence etc. each of the mentioned factors affects community safety in a different way. For the community safety, these issues have to be dealt with differently. The following measures are taken to ensure the community safety (News); Communication. The members of the community should be encouraged to communicate with one another as well as the agents of security. This ensures that the information is shared promptly and the relevant actions taken. For the case of sharing this information with other members of the community, one might be advised to do so with the close friends and family members. One will be more comfortable to easily share this kind of information with those close to them. It will be difficult to convince a member of the community to share information with those who are not close to them. It is all about trust. One shares with those they trust most. The security agencies should provide proper and efficient channels for communication with the members of the community. These will enable efficient flow of the relevant information. For any given initiative, the type of communication determines how successful the initiative will be. Being aware of the surroundings. This ensures that each and every member of the community takes the initiative to understand the surroundings which include people. This enables one to be able to identify the rogue elements in the society as well as knowing the kind of people and environment that one lives in. This will inform how the members live and relate with one another. It will also help build the trust among the community members hence strengthening the first point above of communication. The members of the community will be able to share information once a good rapport is established among themselves. The members of the community should also be encouraged to carry only what they need to avoid tempting and attracting the rogue elements which might take the opportunity to cause mayhem to someone. In this case, the members of the public will be avoiding provoking events thus improving the overall safety of the community. Lighting up streets and encouraging the members to use the well lit up streets as well as the populated areas. Lighting up streets will help reduce the criminal activities. This will discourage those with ill intentions of stealing or robbing the members of the community. Members of the community should also be encouraged to walk in well-populated areas during the night hours to avoid being mugged. By being in these well-populated areas, the members are able to interact and enhance the relationship among them. This makes the community very cohesive and the unity is greatly increased unlike when each member of the community walks alone. Once, the link among the community members is made strong and the trust among them is achieved, then the safety in the community is automatically increased. This in turn makes the community live in peace and harmony. The members of the public should be encouraged to avoid the unsolicited offers for help. These kind of help is offered by criminals who want to lure the members of the public to their convenient places to commit the crimes. They should also report such individuals who attempt to make such advances. The criminals at times will want to look unsuspicious so that the member of the public can easily trust them. This will act as a bait for someone to be lured and made vulnerable to the wishes of the criminal. This calls for each and every member of the community to be vigilant with regards to such instances. This is an efficient way of enhancing the safety of the community and will go down well for all the members of the community. As it is said, security starts with an individual, from which the security and safety of the general public in greatly enhanced. Meeting people for the first time. In a large community, no one can know all the members of the community at a go. In case one is meeting a stranger, they are advised to meet them at a public place rather than at their home this enables one to be able to know the kind of person they are dealing with. This will also avoid the scenarios in which the stranger will want to come survey the home of the community member with bad intentions. This is seen as a preventive measure which is cautious in nature. It is a move which shields the naïve members of the community from being taken advantage of. By adhering to these, the community members will feel safe meeting strangers in the public place than in their homes, which improves the general security in the entire community. Personal security and safety like keeping ones property safe and secure. This might include steps like securing houses with locks as well as examining the said locks, door frames and window frames. This is a move meant to ensure that the personal safety of the members as well as their property is taken care of. It guarantees the members the security and safety they require to be able to live in peace. This is because security and safety and directly related to the level of peace in a given community. With high levels of insecurities, the people affected will not be able to live in peace since they will be worried of their property as well as their lives. With every member of the community observing this move, it soon turns out to be a community initiative and affair. It is a move which contributes to the general security and safety of the public. Community safety partnerships have been found to be more effective in dealing with crimes than other alternatives (Weisburd et. al, 2016). MS level 4 studies have found this method of dealing with crimes to be more effective. The benefits of community partnerships include: i. There is increased reach to the socially excluded parts of the community ii. Access to a wider range of funding sources makes partnerships more effective iii. Due to the shared experience, new and better ways of solving problems are developed iv. Partnerships articulate concerns faced by young people and communicate outcomes v. The risks of community policing are spread across many organizations as opposed to just one vi. Since resources are pooled together there is reduced costs vii. There is greater capacity to reach and deliver beyond the capabilities of any one organization For community partnerships to be effective, there needs to be strategic planning on its formation and how it will be run. It is not usually possible to have a partnership where all partners allocate the same amount of time and resources. It is however important for all partners to feel that that their contribution however small, have an impact on the partnership. Efforts should also be made to maximize the input of each partner by reducing the barriers that make it hard for small partners to get involved. Strategic planning is best done while developing the partnership agreement (Vanguelova et. al, 2013). A good partnership agreement states the following: the purpose of the partnership, the strategy that will be used to achieve the aims and objectives of the partnership, the basis for membership of the partnership, how decisions will be made within the partnership, the principles that govern the partnership, management of the partnership, sources of funds for the partnership, methods of dispute resolution and the information the partnership will provide to the public. Such strategic prior planning of the partnership ensures success and delivery of effective partnership working. (Home, F.H.T, 2016). The characteristics of effective partnerships include: regular updates between the partners, effective communication between the partners, shared roles and responsibilities, trust, dealing with disagreements in a good way, understanding each other’s needs and work and respecting it, contribution by all partners in terms of time, information and other resources, teamwork, working towards a similar aim, regular feedback and realistic ways of evaluating the partnership achievements ("Safety Tips - Public Safety") Some of the major factors and changes that tend to affect partnership work include (Phillips et. al, 2014): Lack of shared missions and visions Unclear targets Culture clashes Shortage of funds Time limitations, i.e. when the partnership needs to accomplish an objective within a certain time span and it does not meet the deadline. Partnerships which are all talk and no action Bureaucracy overload Lack of a good management team The PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental aspects) analysis can affect the effectiveness of community safety partnerships. PESTLE analysis is a tool used by companies to be able to understand the environment in which they are operating or planning to carry on business from. PESTLE stands for political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental aspects. Before launching a new product in a particular area, it is important to carry out this analysis so as to be able to plan for the future strategically. For instance the environmental factor. After analyzing the environment surrounding the business and how the business activities affect the environment, the business can be able to reduce such activities thus cut down the rates of crime. In the case of pollution, the business can apply measures such as: understanding and applying the concept of reduce, reuse and recycle, using clean energy resources such as solar, wind and geothermal and eliminating toxins from the air they release into the environment so as to reduce air pollution (Gillam and Siriwardena, 2013).These measures help prevent environment pollution and depletion of the ozone layer. Climate changes caused by depletion of the ozone layer and global warming are reduced. This leads to an increase in food supply and thus reduced poverty levels. This, directly or indirectly, helps cut down on crime rates. This enhances the activity of community safety partnerships by eliminating one of the major causes of crime. Strategic managers must not only recognize the present state of the environment and their industry but also be able to predict its future positions. Where government, law enforcement, businesses and the public work together on prevention, significant and sustained cuts in certain crimes can be achieved in the long-run and permanently. ("Community Safety News and Tips") The following are the advantages of community safety; It reduces the cost as well as the number of injuries and violence. This is attributed to the increased levels of security as a result of community initiatives to increase security and safety. The community health and safety is greatly promoted and enhanced. Community members will have a sense of pride in for their community. This is because they can live freely and in peace. The members of the community will have the belief that they can make a difference in the community. There will be a change of perception once the security and safety of the community is improved. An improved life quality for the members of the community at large. This is because people can invest freely without the fear of security and safety issues. Many lives are saved in the process. By improving the community safety and security means that the incidences of insecurity are reduced. By the community working together, the emerging issues in the community can easily be identified and handled accordingly. It also reduces the duplication of roles in the government departments. The community safety initiatives which are carried out by the community members is seen as a way to relieve the government of some duties. The government provides only the necessary support needed by the community. REFERENCES 1. "Community Safety | Wa.Gov.Au". Wa.gov.au. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 June 2016. 2. "Community Safety News And Tips". Burnaby.ca. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 June 2016. 3. News, SFMC. "10 Rules To Follow For Community Safety". SFMC News. N.p., 2014. Web. 9 June 2016. 4. "Home And Neighborhood Safety — National Crime Prevention Council". Ncpc.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 June 2016. 5. "Safety Tips - Public Safety". Public Safety. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 June 2016. 6. "Advantages And Disadvantages Of Community Policing. | Law Teacher". Lawteacher.net. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 June 2016. 7. "Safe Communities :: Benefits Of Being A Safe Community". Safecommunities.org.nz. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 June 2016. 8. Edwards, A. and Hughes, G., 2009. The preventive turn and the promotion of safer communities in England and Wales: political inventiveness and governmental instabilities. Crime prevention policies in comparative perspective, pp.62-85. 9. El Ansari, W., 1999. A Study of the Characteristics, Participant Perceptions and Predictors of Effectiveness in Community Partnerships in Health Personnel Education: The Case of South Africa; University of Wales College Newport, United Kingdom 10. Gillam, S. and Siriwardena, A.N., 2013. Leadership and management for quality. Quality in primary care, 21(4), pp.253-259. 11. Home, F.H.T., 2016. Organizational Development of Local Civil Society Partners. 12. Khatri, R., 2014. Implementing innovative change in practice. 13. Kolios, A. and Read, G., 2013. A political, economic, social, technology, legal and environmental (PESTLE) approach for risk identification of the tidal industry in the United Kingdom. Energies, 6(10), pp.5023-5045. 14. Kolyperas, D., Morrow, S. and Sparks, L., 2015. Developing CSR in professional football clubs: drivers and phases. Corporate Governance, 15(2), pp.177-195. 15. Mak, A.K. and Leewing, K., 2014. Environmental public health and the need for branding and name recognition. Environmental Health Review, 57(4), pp.97-100. 16. Naidoo, J. and Wills, J. eds., 2015. Health studies: an introduction. Palgrave Macmillan. 17. Phillips, A., Canty, N., Nanson, A., Baverstock, A., Qing, F., Galloway, F., Hartmann, H., Kovač, M., Knjiga, M., Thompson, J. and van der Weel, A., 2014. Journal of the World Publishing Community. Logos, 25, p.1. 18. Srdjevic, Z., Bajcetic, R. and Srdjevic, B., 2012. Identifying the criteria set for multi-criteria decision making based on SWOT/PESTLE analysis: a case study of reconstructing a water intake structure. Water resources management, 26(12), pp.3379-3393. 19. Vanguelova, E.I., Nisbet, T.R., Moffat, A.J., Broadmeadow, S., Sanders, T.G.M. and Morison, J.I.L., 2013. A new evaluation of carbon stocks in British forest soils. Soil Use and Management, 29(2), pp.169-181. 20. Weisburd, D., Farrington, D.P. and Gill, A.P.C., 2016. Introduction: What Works in Crime Prevention? In What Works in Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation (pp. 1-13). Springer New York. 21. Wiltshier, P. and Edwards, M., 2014. Managing knowledge transfer partnership for a rural community: The outcomes at Wirksworth, UK. Kybernetes, 43(3/4), pp.629-651. 22. Zalengera, C., Blanchard, R.E., Eames, P.C., Juma, A.M., Chitawo, M.L. and Gondwe, K.T., 2014. Overview of the Malawi energy situation and A PESTLE analysis for sustainable development of renewable energy. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 38, pp.335-347. Read More

It is not usually possible to have a partnership where all partners allocate the same amount of time and resources. It is however important for all partners to feel that their contribution however small, has an impact on the partnership. Efforts should also be made to maximize the input of each partner by reducing the barriers that make it hard for small partners to get involved. Strategic planning is best done while developing the partnership agreement (Vanguelova et. al, 2013). A good partnership agreement states the following: the purpose of the partnership, the strategy that will be used to achieve the aims and objectives of the partnership, the basis for membership of the partnership, how decisions will be made within the partnership, the principles that govern the partnership, management of the partnership, sources of funds for the partnership, methods of dispute resolution and the information the partnership will provide to the public.

Such strategic prior planning of the partnership ensures success and delivery of effective partnership working. (Home, F.H.T, 2016). The characteristics of effective partnerships include regular updates between the partners, effective communication between the partners, shared roles and responsibilities, trust, dealing with disagreements in a good way, understanding each other’s needs and work and respecting it, contribution by all partners in terms of time, information and other resources, teamwork, working towards a similar aim, regular feedback and realistic ways of evaluating the partnership achievements ("Safety Tips - Public Safety") Some of the major factors and changes that tend to affect partnership work include (Phillips et. al, 2014): Lack of shared missions and visions Unclear targets Culture clashes Shortage of funds Time limitations, i.e. when the partnership needs to accomplish an objective within a certain time span and it does not meet the deadline.

Partnerships which all talk and no action Bureaucracy overload Lack of a good management team The PESTLE (political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental aspects) analysis can affect the effectiveness of community safety partnerships. PESTLE analysis is a tool used by companies to be able to understand the environment in which they are operating or planning to carry on business. PESTLE stands for political, economic, social, technological, legal, and environmental aspects.

Before launching a new product in a particular area, it is important to carry out this analysis to be able to plan for the future strategically. For instance the environmental factor. After analyzing the environment surrounding the business and how the business activities affect the environment, the business can be able to reduce such activities thus cut down the rates of crime. In the case of pollution, the business can apply measures such as understanding and applying the concept of reducing, reuse and recycle, using clean energy resources such as solar, wind, and geothermal, and eliminating toxins from the air they release into the environment to reduce air pollution (Gillam and Siriwardena, 2013).

These measures help prevent environmental pollution and depletion of the ozone layer. Climate changes caused by depletion of the ozone layer and global warming are reduced. This leads to an increase in food supply and thus reduced poverty levels. This, directly or indirectly, helps cut down on crime rates. This enhances the activity of community safety partnerships by eliminating one of the major causes of crime. Strategic managers must not only recognize the present state of the environment and their industry but also be able to predict its future positions.

Where government, law enforcement, businesses, and the public work together on prevention, significant and sustained cuts in certain crimes can be achieved in the long run and permanently. ("Community Safety News and Tips") The following are the advantages of community safety; It reduces the cost as well as the number of injuries and violence.

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