NCJ Number
45731
Date Published
1976
Length
182 pages
Annotation
AN EIGHT-UNIT COURSE, COMPLETE WITH CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, WAS DEVELOPED TO HELP NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERS DEVELOP COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS AND BUILD COMMUNITY JUSTICE.
Abstract
THIS COURSE, WHICH WAS DEVELOPED IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, COMBINES NARRATIVE TEXT WITH SELECTED READINGS, GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, AND BIBLIOGRAPHY. IT IS DESIGNED TO GIVE COMMUNITY LEADERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD WORKERS A BACKGROUND IN PRACTICAL POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY, THE WORKINGS OF A COMMUNITY, AND WAYS PEOPLE CAN BE GATHERED TOGETHER TO DEVELOP A SOCIAL CONTRACT. THE ESSENCE OF SUCH A CONTRACT IS JUSTICE AND SECURITY. READINGS RANGE FROM ALEXIS DE TOCQUEVILLE TO 'CONFLICT TACTICS' BY SAUL ALINSKY. THE NEEDS OF TODAY'S POOR URBAN AREAS ARE LIKENED TO THOSE OF THE AMERICAN FRONTIER AND THE COMMUNITY APPROACH WHICH CHARACTERIZED THE EARLY YEARS OF THE UNITED STATES IS CALLED THE ANSWER TO TODAY'S ISOLATED SLUMS. CHAPTERS COVER THE VALUE OF FELLOWSHIP, THE VALUE OF RECIPROCITY, THE IDEAL OF JUSTICE, JUSTICE AND SECURITY, JUSTICE AND RECIPROCITY, AND JUSTICE AND FELLOWSHIP. THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF VARIOUS COMMUNITY WORK STRATEGIES ARE EXPLORED. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE 19TH CENTURY POLITICAL BOSSES IN ORGANIZING POOR WARDS IS EXAMINED FOR AN INSIGHT INTO THE HOPES AND NEEDS OF THE URBAN POOR. STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH SECURITY PROBLEMS, STRATEGIES FOR DEALING WITH OFFENDERS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND STRATEGIES FOR COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION ARE DISCUSSED IN DETAIL. BUILDING A STRONG COMMUNITY IS CALLED THE FIRST STEP IN ANY CRIME DETERRENCE PROGRAM. (GLR)