Building safer societies

Abstract

Crime and crime prevention are too important to the social health of European countries to be ignored. Law enforcement has a central and important role to play, but by itself will not be enough. As economic pressures resulting from the restructuring of global markets and the move toward a single currency in Europe create greater uncertainties and stress for Europeans, the possibilities of rising crime rates and rising anti-minority sentiments are substantial. No European country can afford not to invest in crime prevention programmes and to create national strategies incorporating law enforcement, developmental, situational, and community components.