Introduction
Crime has become the order of the day in most modern societies with large cities. Cities
tend to accommodate many people with cultural, social, and economic diversity. The challenges
found in the cities influences individuals to form criminal gangs and rob from innocent citizens
who earn an honest living from their work. My community has its location in the City of New
York, one of the largest cities in the United States of America. Through the report, I have the
opportunity to develop a positive program that will either eliminate or reduce the rate of crimes
committed in my community.
Initiatives to deal with Crime in the Community
There are several opportunities regarding the aspect of developing programs with
relevance to community policing and criminal control. My community has many people that
have suffered from the high rates of crime. Individuals have tried to develop initiatives that have
reduced some of the crimes in different parts of the community. However, the established
initiatives have failed to become effective. The following strategies and initiatives may be
helpful in terms of dealing with crimes:
Creating Employment Opportunities for the Youth
Among them include the aspect of the local government and the community members
creating employment opportunities for the young generations. Youths commit crimes when they
lack an alternative to fend for their needs. Economic hardships motivate different financial
hurdles among individuals which influences them to join gangs and commit crimes such as
murder, burglary, general theft, and drug trade among others (Braga & Bond, 2008). The
government with the assistance of the local government should create a funding kitty for the
DEALING WITH INSECURITIES AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL 3
youths so that they have finances for their small projects. The above factor influences them to
become busy. They acquire the opportunity to develop themselves positively and reduce any
attempts of joining gangs and perpetrating crimes.
Training Parents to nurture Morality among children
The second initiative includes creating a program that teaches parents about the proper
ways of bringing up their children. Moral development at the community level may act as a
solution towards reducing crimes. Parents have to form small organizations where they learn
social and psychological skills regarding the growth and development of their children. They
should ensure that they learn the right ways to socialize with their children. The groups may also
teach them to identify the various features that are found in their children that may tell them that
their children are criminals. Such groups with parents influence them to become responsible
individuals toward the process of bringing their kids up.
Education and Capacity Building
The education system should inculcate an aspect of security. The different schools around
the community should have a curriculum with a subject that focuses on community policing and
approaches to fighting crimes. Children should learn that their participation in crime is dangerous
and that it would either lead to their incarceration or they may end up losing their lives. It should
also instill morality among them and provide them with skills that assist them to know the right
ways to live with the rest of the community members (Edition.CNN, 2009). Capacity building
initiatives focus on having workshops and conferences relating to the concept of crime and the
possible approaches the community may use to eliminate it from the community level.
DEALING WITH INSECURITIES AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL 4
Local Initiatives
It is important for the community members to think of possible ways to tackle the issue of
crime and policing. The community members have to volunteer to undertake different policing
schedules in the community. It means that they have to demarcate the community into small
regions for them to man them with much ease. They also have to ensure that they know new
members who join the community to avoid new gangs from settling in the neighborhoods in the
community.
Lessening Negative Effects of Violence among Children
The process involves a lot of work. However, if every member of the community is
responsible enough, then it becomes easy to fight violence among children. The first thing may
involve the aspect of telling children that violence is a crime and that they should stop
participating in it. Children should live in an environment whereby everyone respects the law.
Parents should act as a role model in shaping the thinking and behavioral traits among children.
Anyone who is teaching children to become violent in the home and learning environment
should be punished through the criminal justice departments and the law enforcement agencies.
The law enforcement agencies should also collaborate with the community members in
developing proper approaches that eliminate any possibilities that lead to violence.
Limitations on the Violent Video Games
Video games are not the reason as to why children become violent and commit crimes in
their lives. As a society, it is important to focus on the social and mental status of the children
involved in violent behaviors. Violence may originate from the aspect of children trying to fight
pressure from their parents. Some children rebel by becoming violent in their lives. Others learn
violence from their peers and the observations they make on their violent parents. In relation to
DEALING WITH INSECURITIES AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL 5
the above, they borrow the undesirable behaviors and implement them in their respective
environments. Video games should somehow be limited but individuals have to understand that
they are not the main reasons as to why children commit crimes in their environments. They
should only know that they act as additional factors in initiating violence among children
(Petitclerc, Gatti, Vitaro, & Tremblay, 2013). Therefore, the creation of moral capacity should
serve as the main strategy in handling children who seem to be violence. Children have to be
responsible in dealing with their different violent situations. They need to know the
repercussions surrounding their act and the proper ways to prevent the violence in their lives.
Assistance from the Community and the Role of the Department
Violence and crime serve as a role for everyone in the community to undertake at any
given time. Youths and the elderly should focus on creating policies and regulations that limit
community members from participating in criminal acts. The capacity building frameworks
relating to crimes should be introduced to ensure that the community eliminates some
undesirable traits among the members. It is also important for the community to establish
frameworks that rehabilitate the ones already incarcerated for committing crimes. The
department will only work to ensure that it maintains peace and order in the community. It will
monitor any criminal trends and try to eliminate them.
Conclusion and Measuring Effectiveness
The aspect of violence and crimes will always be a major factor affecting our community.
However, I will ensure that I measure the number of individuals undergoing rehabilitation
against those committing the crime. If the individuals receiving rehabilitation are many than the
criminals, then it means that the program is effective (Levecque, Ansell, De Beuckelaer, Van der
Heyden, & Gisle, 2017). I will also look at the impact of the strategies in reducing crimes.
DEALING WITH INSECURITIES AT THE COMMUNITY LEVEL 6
Crimes should reduce from time to time. I will also look at the number of communities engaging
in the programs to support the activities that reduce crimes. I will also look at the policies and
their effectiveness. This will enable me to know if they are working and vice versa.
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References
Braga, A., & Bond, B. (2008). Policing crime and disorder hot spots: A randomized controlled
trial. Criminology, 46(3),, 577-607.
Edition.CNN. (2009). Study: 7.3 million in U.S. prison system in '07. Edition.CNN. Retrieved
from edition.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/03/02/record.prison.population/index.html
Levecque, K., Anseel, F., De Beuckelaer, A., Van der Heyden, J., & Gisle, L. (2017). Work
organization and mental health problems in PhD students. Research Policy, 46(4),, 868-
879.
Petitclerc, A., Gatti, U., Vitaro, F., & Tremblay, R. (2013). Effects of juvenile court exposure on
crime in young adulthood. Journal of child psychology