NCJ Number
219790
Journal
Revue de l' IPC Review Volume: 1 Dated: March 2007 Pages: 193-218
Date Published
March 2007
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This paper summarizes research on the knowledge and attitudes of the Canadian public regarding crime prevention between 1985 and the present, placing some of this information in an international context.
Abstract
The review clearly shows considerable public support for crime prevention in Canada and in other countries for many years. In Canada as well as other countries, the public views the primary responsibility for preventing crime to lie outside the criminal justice system. Still, the public sees an active role for the Federal Government in many areas of crime prevention. Further, given a choice between punishment and prevention, Canadians have always supported prevention. Crime prevention is viewed as being more cost-effective than law enforcement. Americans also share this preference for prevention over punishment for most forms of offending. Apparently, the rates of public awareness of crime prevention have been higher among the public in the United States than in Canada. Despite this low level of public awareness of specific crime prevention programs, in 2003 nearly half the sample stated they were "very interested" in participating in crime prevention programs. Canadians support devoting public funds to crime prevention. This paper identifies a number of knowledge gaps and steps that should be taken. It suggests placing a set of questions on crime prevention attitudes and behaviors in each administration of Canada's General Social Survey, so as to determine the extent to which attitudes toward and participation in crime prevention programs are evolving. A public-opinion database is also suggested. Government should provide leadership in engaging the public in crime prevention efforts by promoting existing crime prevention programs through multimedia campaigns. This review relied on all research on public attitudes toward crime prevention published in French or English during the period 1985 to 2005. 7 tables and 42 references