Crime Prevention Programs To stop, reduce or deter crimes from happening is called crime prevention. In order to prevent crime one must understand why crime is committed. There are many theories to help understand why crime exists and what causes it, once this is determined, a way to prevent or deter it can be determined. In this essay, we will discuss two such programs Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) and McGruff the Crime Dog. The G.R.E.A.T. program has been around for 30 years and is a national and international gang and violence prevention program. The program is evidence based, meaning that there is statistical data that backs up the success of the program. The program centered on the youth and intended to teach children …show more content…
• Crime prevention action should be grounded in research, tested approaches, and aided by evaluation (NCPC.ORG).
The program was rather quick to turn results. In 1982 burglary rates in major cities dropped as much as 50%. McGruff saw the creation of neighborhood watch programs, the community started to take notice as to how their awareness and participation could actually assist law enforcement. A 1987 market research study showed that nine out of 10 teens and adults taking crime prevention measures trusted McGruff, and an astonishing 97% of children said they tried to do what McGruff told them to do (AEF). 1992 saw the introduction McGruff’ s nephew Scruff. Scruff’s purpose was primarily children between the ages of five and nine. The success of this program is clear when as of today more than 90% of children and young adults recognize McGruff and his purpose. Our textbook addresses situational crime prevention this was first popularized in the 1970’s by Oscar Newman (Siegel 115-116). The two programs addressed previously are meant to address this issue. When people are educated in what to look for and how to behave it can make a difference in our society. The purpose of situational crime prevention is target specific crimes. Derek Cornish and Ronald Clarke developed five strategies to help eliminate and reduce crime, they
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The strain theory suggests that people who feel unequal around those they perceive to be successful, can become frustrated in their own perceived failures. Causing the strain on their life and perhaps turning them to crime as a means to success. As it relates to gangs, youth who grow up in areas where gangs are present and fall in to this category, see gangster life as a quick way to success. They are impressed with the fear that forces respect from others, the “easy money” and the loyalty amongst its members. Sadly, gang members know this and exploit these as fertile recruiting areas.
Over the course of this essay we have discussed crime prevention programs, theories and the results of such programs. As a society it is incumbent upon the citizenry to be conscience of what goes on in they’re communities and to assist our law enforcement professional in any way possible to deter and reduce crime and its effects on our well being.
It is still this student’s opinion that crime prevention begins at home with the strength of the family. It is no secret that a child who grows up in a two parent household has a better chance in our society than one who doesn’t. A strong economy is also a key factor the prevention of crime. While we will never be free of crime in its entirety we can take the necessary steps to prevent it and it starts at home.
It is the duty of parents to maintain their children decently,
Results from Chicago’s Project Safe Neighborhoods showed a 37 percent decrease each month in homicide cases. Before Project Safe Neighborhoods was created the homicide rate was up to 60 percent. Not only did Chicago see a difference in homicide rates, but, those who attended the small community programs were 30 percent less likely to return to prison. Research done through a survey with a 150 offenders showed that the small programs made a positive impact on showing a good relationship between the police and offenders. The
Situational and social approaches to crime prevention are both proactive where they anticipate and prevent crime but are different in the way on how crime is prevented, each having their own strength and weaknesses. In this essay, I will briefly talk about what is crime prevention and how situational and social approaches are derived, followed by providing a critical comparison of situational and social approaches by first explaining what is situational and social approaches to crime prevention, the differences between the two approaches, their strength and weaknesses and lastly, to show understanding that besides situational and social approach, there are other approaches to crime prevention.
Ron Clark describes situational crime prevention as ‘a pre-emptive approach that relies, not on improving society or its institutions, but simple on reducing opportunities for crime’. He identifies three features of measures aimed at situational crime prevention, firstly that they
For my final paper I am going to talk about a program that in my eyes is a great way for our youth to receive different views and healthy choices when it comes to avoiding and confronting gangs or gang members. Gang Resistance Education and Training, abbreviated G.R.E.A.T., and provides a school-based, police officer instructed program that includes classroom instruction and various learning activities. The mission of the program is to provide a range of activities to our kids to keep them away from gangs or related activity as well as educate them on competency, usefulness, and personal empowerment which will prevent them from
This paper deals with gang violence in the city of Chicago since the beginning of time. It takes a deep look into the history of Chicago gangs and how they interact today. Also the past problems the City of Chicago made when dealing with gangs and the problems that gangs today have and how Chicago has the worst gang problem in the country. Also how gangs have turned themselves into big, and lucrative enterprises most known for money. Also stated are possible solutions to stop or reduce violence of the gangs that all start off with teaching the young kids about gangs and gang prevention.
The central idea of the book focuses on practical ideas and specific crime problems and what to do about each. Although this book covers various topics, I am going to discuss the big crime problems and how to reduce each crime problem.
violence prevention programs between 1999 and 2003” (Stewart, Gabora, and Kropp 2014, p. 153). The analysis consisted of both pre-measure and post-measure of the participants with a variety of measures chosen in order to a divergent source of evaluation and included both quantitative and qualitative data. The final phase of the analysis was a post follow-up interview, in which participants had to have been in the community for at least 6 months. As stated, the results utilizing RNR principles demonstrated positive results as can be observed in Table 4 of the study.
Crime is something that has occurred over the decades and impacts both the victim and the wider community. It is described as behaviour that breaks the formal laws of a given society (Kirby, 2000) and is more punishable than deviance. The nature and frequency of crime depends on the neighbourhood in which it takes place and will impact on the concerns people have regarding the safety of their environment. When crime reaches a peak then ideas are put forward in a bid to reduce soaring levels, these are thought of as crime deterring strategies and often the effectiveness of these implementations is debateable. Deterrence in short, is the use of punishment as a means to discourage people from committing criminal offences. This essay will
Situational crime prevention constitutes primary crime prevention measure. This is to say that it is aimed at deterring crime before it occurs. Situational prevention, like other similar primary prevention measures, focuses on subduing crime opportunities instead of the attributes of criminals or even potential criminals. It seeks to curtail opportunities for certain groups of crime by increasing the risks and difficulties associated with them and significantly reducing the rewards. Situational prevention is made up of three key elements: a sound theoretical framework, an authoritative methodology for dealing with specific crimes, and a collection of opportunity-reducing approaches (Felson & Clarke, 1997).
Some analysts have claimed that situational crime prevention has been the fastest-growing worldwide, yet much of this programming has been carried out without knowledge of its scientific foundation. Situational crime prevention has developed equal opportunity reduction and many such programs have been crafted on the basis of experts’ own judgment and experiences. Lack of knowledge with scientific research substances situational crime prevention has resulted in some inadequately thought out initiatives, which have been widely criticized (https://www.ncjrs.gov/App/publicaions/abstract.aspx?ID=235583).
To start off, there are trends and techniques that police departments implement in order to minimize crime as much as possible. The two most common techniques used by police officers are community-oriented police and problem-oriented policing. This paper will describe the both methods and highlight the pros and cons of each.
Crime prevention studies have been conducted in an effort to reduce the likelihood of criminal behaviour. The focus of these theories is on the reactions of members of society to crime and deviance.
There are many strategies that can be considered situational crime prevention strategies. Pick one of the following crime reduction strategies.
The focus of this paper will be based upon different crime prevention strategies implemented by members of the communities, local and government authorities.
Last and certainly not least I respect and abide by the laws of our country. If each municipal local governing agency would pass legislation to ensure the safety of neighborhoods, communities, civilians, law enforcement and government officials under due proper guidelines, all will have knowledge of what can and can not be done as a neighborhood watch person. The National Institute of Justice prepared a report to the United States Congress entitled “Preventing Crime: What Works; What Doesn’t; What’s Promising.” The primary conclusion of the report found that in part enacting programs in different local communities sometimes work, sometimes don’t work in curving crime and in monitoring the effectiveness of community organizations and neighborhood watch programs. The report dug into the monies spent for federally to be used in local communities. In 1996, $1.4 billion was used in funding of local police by the Office for Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS), and $1.8 billion in local crime prevention assistance funding of a wide range of institutions by the Office for Justice Programs (OJP). Although funding is still being received and legislation being enacted, it is primarily up to local communities to pass legislation that is in the best interest of all of the citizens in each respective community.