Crime Prevention Overview

Overview of Crime Prevention

• Crime prevention aims to reduce crime, encourage community engagement, and enhance public safety perceptions.
• Programs are divided into three categories: primary, secondary, and tertiary.

Primary Crime Prevention

• Aims to stop crime before it occurs by reducing opportunities and bolstering community structures.
• Techniques include:
  • Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) for monitoring.
  • Environmental design to deter crime through physical space planning.
  • Operation identification/operation provident for asset marking.
  • Neighborhood watch programs to foster community vigilance.
  • Citizen patrols for additional local oversight.
  • Media-based programs to raise awareness and educate the public.
• Incorporates both situational (environment-focused) and social (addressing individual factors) prevention methods.
• Aligned with Peel's principle: police's fundamental role is to prevent crime and disorder.

Secondary Crime Prevention

• Targets high-crime areas or individuals at risk for criminal behavior.
• Initiatives focus on assisting vulnerable groups and identifying individuals at high risk.
• Examples include:
  • Commanding Officer's Youth Advisory for youth engagement.
  • Camp Little Buffalo for youth activities and support.
  • Ecotrip, combining nature with education.
  • Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) to prevent drug abuse.
  • Canadian Champions program fostering local youth development.
  • Police school liaison officers to bridge connection between students and law enforcement.

Tertiary Crime Prevention

• Engages individuals who have already committed crimes.
• Aims to support reintegration and promote desistance from crime.
• Includes:
  • Alternative measures for youth offenders.
  • Restorative justice programs for adult offenders.
• Focuses on collaboration between justice systems, social services, and community agencies.

Challenges and Strategies in Crime Prevention

• Implementation barriers include:
  • Inadequate planning and execution.
  • Insufficient support from police and lack of community involvement.
• Effective strategies include:
  • Strategic planning to align goals and resources.
  • Crime analysis to assess and address localized issues.
• Acknowledges the evolution of crime prevention, with some scholars proposing four sub-categories:
  • Situational
  • Developmental and early intervention stages
  • Community development initiatives
  • Criminal justice frameworks