Crime Prevention Essay

Abstract Crime prevention has become a major issue in our Nation. In our text we have learned that in the early 1990’s President Bill Clinton had passed a bill that hired 100,000 police officers as a result of the Violent Crime Control Act (Worrall, 2008). The hiring of all the police officers looked as if was going to make a huge impact across the nation. With the rate of crime going up across the world crime prevention is really needed. Communities and police officers need to come together to help preserve our neighborhoods. This is the best form of crime prevention. In this paper I am going to discuss the relationship of crime prevention to the Criminal Justice System. I am also going to give my definition of what is crime prevention. I will also discuss two or more institutions through which crime prevention programs and practices are delivered and try to give some examples. Crime Prevention Crime prevention can be defined in several ways. My definition of crime prevention is stopping crime and protecting our neighborhoods. If the community and the police work together they can reduce crime over time drastically. Crime is increasing in neighborhoods, so, crime prevention should increase as well. The relationship of crime prevention to the Criminal Justice System has several purposes. Crime prevention has the main purpose of protecting the community and the people that live in them. â€Å"Crime prevention and the Criminal Justice System have two main goals: to lessen the human and material cost and its impact on socioeconomics development and to formulate international standards and norms in crime prevention and criminal justice and promote their observance (Encyclopedia of the Nations, 2013).† In the relationship of crime prevention to the Criminal Justice System the police have several objectives. The police objectives are to prevent and control conduct threatening the life or property including serious crimes. Police also help and protect victims who have been physically abused (Plant and Scott, 2009). They also stop and arrest drunken drivers which help and protect the community. When police make drug bust in which the community helps with tips or make arrest on repeat offenders this type of crime prevention is key in the relationship with the Criminal Justice System. Police are used as mediators and negotiators to resolve domestic disturbances or hostage situations (Plant and Scott, 2009). Police are also trying to find ways to protect the youth of today from following in the same footsteps as the criminals that they deal with on a day to day basis. Police are trying to do everything that they can to stop trafficking of persons and drugs throughout our nation and help keep our youth stay out of the criminal justice system. Crime prevention and the Criminal Justice System go hand in hand with the reduction of crime. There are many institutions through which crime prevention programs and practices are delivered. Most of the programs are built around habitual offenders and youths from the 5 to 18 years of age. One program that they have for repeat offenders is the Circle of Support and Accountability (COSA). This program targets young to adult males that have been tried and convicted of a sexual crime, did not get early release, and are at serious risk of reoffending (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). COSA has up to seven but no less than four volunteers that help the offenders reengage back to a normal life in their community. The volunteers also hold the offenders accountable for their actions. COSA’s main goals are to help the offenders through their difficulties and emergencies, hold them accountable for their behavior and attitudes, to be advocates for treatment with the providers, comm unity groups, the police agencies and any other professionals in the community, mediate with the community to answer their concerns, and to help them celebrate their success of treatment and their anniversaries (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). Another program that is used as a crime prevention program is the Boy and Girls Clubs of America. This program targets young children and teens from five years of age to eighteen. This also targets kids in high risk and drug infested communities. The Boys and Girls Club gives kids in the community a safe place to go after school and in the summer. This organization keeps kids and teens out of trouble. Teens that have dropped out of school are given an opportunity to get their GED through programs provided by the Boys and Girls Club (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). The Boys and Girls Club gives children a place to go when their parents are working late and gives parents a sense of relief because they know that their child is in a safe environment. The Boys and Girls Club provides kids with meals and snacks, a place to do their homework, a place to play sports, and a place to feel safe (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). The Clubs offer programming in four main areas. The areas are leadership; growth and empowerment, physical activity; health and safety, learning and career development, and community services. It also operates under five values. The values are inclusion and opportunities, respect and belonging, empowerment, collaboration, and speaking out (National Crime Prevention Centre, 2008). As you can see that empowerment is a major part of the Boys and Girls Club. Showing kids that they matter and that they have worth gives the kids a boost in their confidence and self-esteem. These are just two organizations that help and focus on making someone’s life better. There are many more out there that can help in particular fields of rehabilitation and kid safety. Crime prevention and the Criminal Justice System are needed though out our nation. Police are doing all they can to make the communities safe. It is time for the community to help the police and get rid of the â€Å"no snitching po licy.† The youth of today have so many things that can cause them to turn to a life of crime and it is up to parents, police, and other government officials to protect them. There are a large number of organizations that are out there that can help youths, teens, and adults to become better members of society. When a criminal is released back into society they should find one of these organizations to help them get acclimated with the community that they are moving into. The Criminal Justice System and crime prevention goes hand in hand but is not the only way to turn young adults away from crime. The responsibility is the parents to guide and protect the kids from the dangers of the world. The Criminal Justice System is full enough with young men and women, let’s try and stop the number from getting bigger. References Encyclopedia of the Nations (2013) retrieved from: http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/United-Nations/Social-and-Humanitarian-Assistance-CRIME-PREVENTION-AND-CRIMINAL-JUSTICE.html National Crime Prevention Centre (2008) retrieved from: