NCJ Number
165618
Date Published
1996
Length
73 pages
Annotation
This report explains how the law can aid crime prevention, presents ideas for using local laws to support and strengthen crime prevention activities, and gives examples of State and local laws in three areas: incivilities (unacceptable public behaviors), more serious crimes such as burglary and robbery, and support of prevention activities through policies and funding.
Abstract
The text also offers a checklist of factors to consider in determining whether current laws and ordinances are useful in new ways and in drafting new legislation for use in crime prevention. It notes that legislation can be more effective and is less likely to be constitutionally challenged if it balances individual and community interests, uses clear language that is easily understood by the community, is enforceable and is enforced without discrimination, and is created and applied in response to citizens' demands. Laws related to incivilities focus on vandalism, loitering and panhandling, cruising, belligerent public behavior, owner apathy and blight. Approaches that address more serious offenses include regulating pawnshops, nuisance abatement, health and safety code enforcement, regulating pay telephones, drug trafficker and user eviction laws, lease provisions that ban firearms, and driver's license suspension for drug offenders. Policy and funding approaches include asset forfeiture, a crime prevention tax, finding offenders and using the funds for crime prevention, tax incentives for crime prevention, and incorporating crime preventing standards into State statutes or the municipal code. Charts, checklists, annotated list of resource organizations, and reference notes