Crime Prevention Research Proposal

Introduction

When a community is organized, everyone is kept on the same page, and this makes actionable items to prevent crime. Community organizations often develop relationships that strengthen how they relate to each other. For neighborhood watches, several goals are usually used to survey over suspicious activities, conduct home security survey and mark property based on ownership. In every community, security is an important aspect, and every citizen should feel secure. In this proposal, we will find several ways that will try to solve the puzzle the issue of theft in a community that has a small town with members that live below the poverty line.

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In every community, there should be a National Sheriffs Association to encourage community involvement and service to be trained so that they also become the ears and eyes of law enforcement. For many years neighborhoods that have developed this kind of system have also organized night patrols to familiarize themselves with the community as well as searching for suspicious or unusual activities (Melekian, 2016). This does not mean that they have become the vigilante groups, but the purpose of engaging is to fight and participate because of suspicious groups in the community. While the work of the night patrol is to learn about the prevention of crime in the neighborhoods, it also prevents them from making unnecessary phone calls to the police.

Literature Review

Several studies have uttered that when neighborhoods watch over property crimes, then most criminals will be aware that if they conduct any suspicious activity, they will be arrested. One way communities can facilitate this is by forming the community block parties because not only does it bring the neighbors together but also strengthen their relationship and this also creates a tighter sense in the area. Once this is developed, positive groups in the community deter criminals. Research has shown that when communities form block parties, they boost the morale of citizens and strengthen their bonds (Brungger, Kadar, & Pletikosa, 2016). This also makes them watch over each other either as a group or individually. However, the study also discovered that block parties and neighborhood watches come with a few disadvantages. Sometimes, when the parties involve alcohol, they go astray, and this makes them be at risk. The best remedy is to ensure that everyone stays positive and smart.

Theft Prevention

When the standards of the neighborhood of living are improved, they help prevent crimes, and this makes it safe for everyone to live. One way of doing this is by adjusting the streets lights. Many studies have proved that Dim lights give way for the criminals to go unnoticed. Therefore when the lights are made brighter or replaced for better ones, it makes it easy for thieves to be spotted. Another way of reducing crime is by incorporating CCTV. According to (Godwin & Stasko, 2017), when these systems are installed, it makes it easy for criminal activities to be captured and recorded. Therefore since criminals don't want to be caught on camera, they will stop stealing because when they care arrested there will be enough evidence to prosecute them. Research has also shown that enhancing security in any community involves dealing with car traffic. When cars are over speeding, not only does it put residents in danger but can also be an escape route for criminals. Therefore, when curbs, medians, and round outs are installed, it will slow down traffic and also add more attention to the surrounding neighborhood.

Various studies collected information from the victim residents on factors that make homes more susceptible to crime and discovered that occupancy was the primary contributor to the offense because many homes are usually left unoccupied (Coupe & Griffiths, 1996). Homes that lack fencing makes thieves to windows and doors, and this makes it more vulnerable than those that are fenced and restricted. Another risk factor as stated by Robinson (2000) is that the surveillance of the home makes it easy for criminals to see the activities that are taking place in someone's house. Scheduled homes, those that are found on less busy roads, those surrounded by shrubs, trees and high fences usually make them more vulnerable because of lower surveillance. In this case not only do vegetation and barriers restrict the visibility of the house but also restrict easy access for the intruder.

Research Question

Which is the most effective and less cost-effective to prevent theft in neighborhoods?

Many studies have discovered that the most effective way preventing theft in communities is by educating children because it will make them less prone to being criminals upon growing up. One study that facilitated its survey focused on four-year children by engaging them to a 15-year program (Yousefi, 2016). Throughout the years it was discovered that kids that never played a role in the preschool programs had higher chances of being arrested due to crime upon reaching 18 years. This was a clear indication that early childhood development and education engaged the development of their mental health and this prevented crime at later ages.

Education offered to school children also facilitates the development of kid's behavioral and mental traits. In particular, most of them learn skills that teach them how to tackle confrontations and problems and this exposes them to a safer learning environment. A good example is that when a child has a problem cooperating, and they are engaged to the early education, their problem is usually solved because of the access to instructors and teachers (Yousefi, 2016). As a result, the negative energy of that child is channeled to productive actions, and this teaches the kid how to control his discomfort or anger. When positive characteristics and behavioral traits are integral in the mental development of a child, they usually act as the threshold as they age. When a child, for instance, grows up in a violent and abusive environment, lack access to education, they are usually prone to becoming potential criminals or juvenile delinquents.

Addressing Challenges About Crime

In every society, it is vital that issues of crime prevention are addressed on how to create a line of defense and how reactive measure can decrease the series of crime. One way of doing this is by addressing issues on drug abuse. This can be facilitated by harshening penalties and punishment to discourage the use of such drugs. If that process is impossible, then the best way is by restricting the access of such drugs to prevent young people from becoming thieves (Brungger, Kadar, & Pletikosa, 2016). By focusing on early childhood development and education measures, more kids will be less interested in engaging themselves in criminal activities. This is because the method gives a permanent solution to any challenge. This also changes the mentality of the perpetrator of illegal activities due to their upbringing and education.

The Impact of Role Models

One factor that facilitates crime stems is due to lack of moral compass. Usually, such traits are passed from the parents to children when they re still young. From this ideology, it is clear that this integral makes parents play active and vibrant roles in the lives of their children. However, the challenge comes when parents chose to work over taking care of their children. In most circumstance daycare and pre-school programs play a vital role because not only can they teach kids the importance of morality but also have equipped learning programs (Gilham, 1992). When strong educational programs are offered during the early childhood development year's children will be assured of good jobs only when they complete school.

The Subject of the Study

The subject of the study is the rate of property crime within the last five years. Immediately the education campaign is facilitated, results for the next five will be collected, and a comparison will be made. The development of innovative efforts of reducing social disorder and crime is usually the work of the new police. It is the role of the police agencies to undertake such interventions by advertising their ideas and actions during the public campaign. The change in the community can only be active when the police department encourages and teach the public on better ways of protecting others as well as being vigilant with the police practices (Dessain Meiyer & Salas, n.d.). When this plan is correctly executed through publicity campaigns, the police will be assisted when it comes to fighting crime. Several ways can be used to facilitate public campaigns.

The Definition of Crime Prevention Policy

Several ways can be used to make the public learn about the initiative of police crime- prevention. News stories could be used to give the details of what people know either through newspaper editorials or word of mouth. Even though all ways can publicize the initiative, the method cannot be controlled due to the portrayal (Brungger, Kadar, & Pletikosa, 2016). To ensure that this information is separated from the crime prevention publicity campaign, the terms used in the campaign should refer to how it promotes crime prevention practices, through a planned effort by creating distinct campaigns through the agencies. As a result, the strategy used should either deter offenders or educate victims.

Strategies of Using Publicity to Complement the Efforts of the Police

The purpose of publicizing the campaigns is to pass relevant information to potential victims and offenders. Introducing the targeted hardened measures, informing the community on crime challenges and warning them against the police patrols can lead to a decrease of offenses or an increase in self-protection (Barthe, 2006). Publicity campaigns also operate like the private sectors in crime prevention. The reason why the campaigns have to be commercial is that it persuades the targeted audience to change their behavior. Therefore, when it comes to crime prevention, the dynamics work because no thief will attempt to make any move due to public awareness.

The group that was targeted by intervention such as the victims and offenders were to be exposed to the information in cases where they were to make future decisions. The secret behind proper campaigns is that the messages need to match to the audience. Various ways are also useful while using publicity because not only do the agencies benefit but they also design proper campaigns that prevent crime efforts (Barthe, 2006). The purpose of such guides is to help implement effective publicity campaigns and facilitate local plan police plans to explore the pitfalls and benefits.

The Word of Caution

Even though the idea of campaigns is to publicize information about theft the police agencies also need to do proper interventions. It would be wise in this case to adopt publicity to assist the police efforts while they are planning and implementing. When a campaign is poorly designed it means that the fear of increased crime will come to reality and this may also create vigilantism (Barthe, 2006). The police agencies, in short, should refrain from relying on public campaigns when it comes to the response of crime. One way of dealing with this is by posting random posters that advise residents always to lock their car to reduce the issue of car theft. In other words, public campaigns should complement the initiatives of police in fighting crime.

Measurements

The key variables of this paper are on property crime like auto burglary and car theft, home burglary and anything defined by the criminal statute. Usually, most robberies that take place around neighborhoods involve crimes of opportunity. While they are preventable, several ways can be used to assist the police target the th...