Local Government's Effective Community Responses (From Reducing Criminality--Partnerships and Best Practices, P 1-11, 2000, Adam Graycar, ed. -- See NCJ-186333)

• NCJ Number: 186347
• Author(s): Adam Graycar
• Date Published: 2000
• Length: 11 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Issue Overview
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This paper examines local governments’ effective crime prevention strategies.

Abstract

The two main strategies are to reduce the supply of motivated offenders and to make crime more difficult to commit. The three principal tenets involve increasing the effort required to commit crime, increasing the risks involved in committing crime, and reducing crime’s rewards. The following points must also be taken into account: (1) The police alone cannot control crime and disorder; (2) No single agency can control crime and disorder; (3) Contributing agencies need to work in partnership; (4) Evidence-based problem-solving approaches have the most promise to reduce crime and disorder; (5) Problems of crime and disorder are complex, and therefore no panaceas; and (6) Crime and disorder problems need to be understood in their local contexts and strategies need to be locally tailored. Local governments need to do an audit of crime and disorder and consult on their findings, formulate strategic priorities and set targets, and monitor and evaluate their programs. The paper concludes that the safest communities are not those with the most police and prisons but those with the strongest community structures, including socializing institutions, families, and economic opportunities. Table