NCJ Number
51153
Journal
International Criminal Police Review Volume: 33 Issue: 318 Dated: (MAY 1978) Pages: 126-137
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
FINDINGS FROM AN INTERNATIONAL SURVEY OF POLICE PRACTICES IN CRIME PREVENTION ARE THE BASIS FOR GUIDELINES CONCERNING THE ORGANIZATION OF CRIME PREVENTION EFFORTS.
Abstract
SUMMARIES ARE PRESENTED OF SURVEY FINDINGS CONCERNING THE PREVENTIVE IMPACT OF POLICE PRESENCE, POLICE AND NONPOLICE PERSONNEL ENGAGED IN CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES, AND THE EXTENT OF POLICE DISCRETIONARY POWERS IN RELATION TO PROSECUTION. RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS REGARDING METHODS OF DIVIDING AREAS INTO SECTORS, OF DISTRIBUTING POLICE SERVICES, OF ASSIGNING POLICE STAFF TO GIVEN SECTORS, AND OF VARYING POLICE DENSITY WITHIN SECTORS ARE REVIEWED AND SUMMARIZED IN A TABLE. IT IS NOTED THAT MOST CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES IN POLICE AGENCIES ARE CARRIED OUT BY POLICE OFFICERS RATHER THAN BY NONPOLICE SPECIALISTS (PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, ETC.). FROM RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS ABOUT POLICE DISCRETION IN DECIDING TO INITIATE PROSECUTION OR TO TURN OVER CASES TO JUDICIAL AUTHORITIES IT IS CONCLUDED THAT THE EXTENT OF SUCH DISCRETION IS LINKED CLOSELY TO A COUNTRY'S LEGAL TRADITIONS AND TO THE ROLE PLAYED BY THE POLICE. IT IS SUGGESTED THAT, IN COUNTRIES WHERE THE PUBLIC ACCEPTS POLICE EXERCISE OF PROSECUTION-RELATED DISCRETION, THERE MAY BE CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGES FROM THE CRIME PREVENTION STANDPOINT. THE FOLLOWING MAJOR POINTS ARE DRAWN FROM THE SURVEY FINDINGS: (1) CRIME PREVENTION APPARENTLY IS THE RESULT MORE OF HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT THAN OF CONSCIOUS PLANNING, ALTHOUGH A TREND TOWARD MORE CAREFUL PLANNING OF POLICE CRIME PREVENTION WORK IS EVIDENT IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES; (2) IT IS NOT YET POSSIBLE TO MEASURE AND COMPARE THE RESULT OF ALTERNATIVE CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES; AND (3) PRACTICAL RESEARCH INTO CRIME PREVENTION METHODS SHOULD BE FOSTERED. POLICE AGENCIES ARE ADVISED TO PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE FOLLOWING POINTS WHEN ORGANIZING CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES: ASSIGNMENT OF CRIME PREVENTION RESPONSIBILITIES TO POLICE AND OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES, AND DEVELOPMENT OF CRITERIA FOR MEASURING AND COMPARING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF EACH ENTITY, STRIKING A BALANCE BETWEEN FLEXIBILITY AND SPECIFICITY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF LEGAL BASES FOR CRIME PREVENTION ACTIVITIES; INTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS CONSIDERATIONS (PERSONNEL DEPLOYMENT METHODS, CRIME PREVENTION SPECIALIZATION FOR POLICE PERSONNEL, ETC.); COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS OF DIFFERENT CRIME PREVENTION METHODS; AND ANALYSIS OF THE IMPACT OF POLICE DISCRETIONARY POWERS, PARTICULARLY AS THEY RELATE TO THE INITIATION OF PROSECUTION FOR MINOR OFFENSES, ON CRIME PREVENTION. FOR PART 1, SEE NCJ-50733, AND SEE NCJ-50735 FOR PART 2. (1KM)