NCJ Number
95624
Journal
Social Defence Volume: 18 Issue: 70 Dated: (October 1982) Pages: 5-14
Date Published
1982
Length
10 pages
Annotation
Social defense in India, defined as a system to defend society against criminality, is discussed, and the need for communities to devote their resources and energies to crime prevention is cited.
Abstract
Characteristics of volunteer agencies are described, and public participation, termed a 'pre-requisite of democratic development of a socialist society,' is examined. Community groups that assist in the prevention and treatment of crime and delinquency are cited as examples of public participation; these groups, however, are advised to seek a relationship with the centralized criminal justice agencies. The family and its support by government and the local community, the school, the church, the organization of industry and transportation, and the structure of social services are all indicated to be relevant to the prevention and treatment of crime and delinquency. All are said to require some degree of public support, with most requiring some degree of public participation. Thus, public participation is concluded to be not only one of the basic issues in social defense, but also basic to the science of government. The public's participation is believed needed more in urban areas than in rural ones. Four modalities of public participation are suggested: (1) political support of social defense programs, (2) public cooperation with social defense programs, (3) delegation of community groups to elements of social defense programs, and (4) provision by community groups of autonomous social defense programs. Examples of public participation are provided. Four references are included.