Public safety and protection are a top priority for governments all across the globe. Government agencies create community services to deter or mitigate crimes and to enhance neighborhood conditions that are linked to them to protect its residents, organizations, and institutions from damage or threats to their well-being.
Crime public education
One of the most effective methods for combating crime is public education. People who understand how to reduce the risk of becoming a victim of crime and how to improve public safety are at the heart of a safer society. Social awareness on crime prevention encourages people to take action by stressing that a problem exists and they as a community need to solve it.
A public awareness and education initiative is a way to draw the attention of a large number of people to a particular problem. A poster contest, a seminar, a fair at a local mall, or a show on one of your town’s radio or television stations are all examples of social awareness.
These initiatives tend to be an excellent way to draw the attention of the public towards the significance of crime prevention activities in society. The key purpose is to deliver important crime prevention information to your target group (youth, adults, or children) and inspire them to take steps to deter or reduce crime.
Crime awareness problems
While there is plenty of evidence that these programs can have a positive effect on neighborhoods and people, several contradictory findings that the programs can also have unintended consequences, are also found. For instance, if a campaign to “get tough on crime” is widely publicized, example, neighborhood residents’ fear of crime may also arise as a result of increased awareness of problems in their surroundings.
Scholars have responded by urging researchers to consider the potential anticipatory gains of crime prevention initiatives, as well as how public knowledge of these efforts can influence negative consequences, before formally implementing them across communities.
Media and crime prevention
Several crime reduction techniques have been devised and introduced by law enforcement and criminal justice reform planners over the past decade. In these prevention programs role of media has been quite significant. Media platforms have continuously to played a creative role in keeping societies strong all over the world. It is regarded as a protector of peace and order, in addition to bringing fresh news from various outlets.
The position of the media is not limited to that; it is also recognized for its innovative contribution to the formation of civil society. For decades, crime has plagued civil society. The arrival of the media in this regard can be viewed as a blow to criminal gangs and protection rackets.
In several cases, the media has been active in reaching areas where police and other crime-fighting agencies have struggled. Thousands of such cases have been found and solved thanks to the efforts and contributions of the media.
The media is often credited with playing a key role in the collective fight against terrorism and crime prevention. Literature suggests that mass media as well as social media is a major source of awareness and helps in crime prevention. Additionally, people self-aware themselves by using Google search engines. In 2018, 89 percent of adults in the US mentioned they used the Internet.
Internet and crime prevention
Internet users in the US were typically college-aged, between the age range of 18-49. Google searches can be used to learn about a variety of subjects, including crime and how to avoid it. Google can also be used to find out about law enforcement and community-based crime reduction programs, such as how to file a police report or start a neighborhood watch.
Although, the internet has become an inseparable part of most people’s lives in the United States. On the downside, interconnectedness has bred new breeds of crime, such as cyberstalking and phishing, creating new problems for law enforcement, which must stay one step ahead of today’s tech-savvy offenders.
One of the fastest-growing security risks in the US is internet-based criminal activities. When the number of people using the internet grows, so does the way they use computers for communication and other purposes.
Hackers use personal information including email ids, contact numbers, names, and other login credentials to commit identity theft. In a September 2018 survey of adults in the United States, 32.7 percent said their social media or e-mail account had been hacked.
In a separate survey conducted the same year, 14% of respondents said their online accounts had been compromised multiple times. Overall, Americans are well aware that the danger of becoming a target of cybercrime is rising.
These new risks necessitate new metrics for better understanding, decision-making, and intervention. On the other hand, as social media becomes more sophisticated and integrated, law enforcement officers would have unprecedented opportunities to engage with the public in novel ways. This implies that where increased usage of social media led to cybercrime, increased awareness of criminal activity and crime prevention through social media can significantly reduce the crime rate.
Civilian crime prevention
To deter violence, the most successful law enforcement agencies embrace and foster citizen-police relationships. Citizens who are involved and motivated to take responsibility for their neighborhoods are important assets to every police department’s efforts. As social media becomes more common, law enforcement agencies may be able to use these resources to proactively reach out to people and encourage crime prevention in their communities. CWP
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References
Bowers, K., & Johnson, S. D. (2003). The role of publicity in crime prevention: findings from the Reducing Burglary Initiative. London: Home Office.
Capobianco, L. (2008). The media, crime prevention and urban safety: A brief discussion on media influence and areas for further exploration. Montreal.
Chataway, M. L., & Hart, T. C. (2018). Crime prevention and reduction programs: How does knowing about community initiatives moderate attitudes towards criminal victimisation?. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Criminology, 51(2), 239-257.
Clement, J. (2019). Topic: U.S. consumers and cyber crime. Retrieved 15 April 2021, from https://www.statista.com/topics/2588/us-consumers-and-cyber-crime/
CORLEY, C. (2021). NPR Cookie Consent and Choices. Retrieved 15 April 2021, from https://www.npr.org/2021/01/06/953254623/massive-1-year-rise-in-homicide-rates-collided-with-the-pandemic-in-2020
Kim, B., & Park, J. (2020). Awareness of crime prevention effects associated with a wall removal project in Seoul. Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 19(3), 264-272.
Malone, M. F. T., & Dammert, L. (2020). The police and the public: policing practices and public trust in Latin America. Policing and society, 1-16.
Raising Awareness and Educating the Public. (2000). Retrieved 15 April 2021, from https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles1/ojjdp/178926.pdf
Stubbs-Richardson, M. S., Cosby, A. K., Bergene, K. D., & Cosby, A. G. (2018). Searching for safety: crime prevention in the era of Google. Crime Science, 7(1), 1-13.