Crime Prevention Policy Research Articles

Shaping community support for vigilantism: a Nigerian case study

PurposeIn Nigeria, vigilantism appears to be a common response to dissatisfaction about the state police in the recent time. Using survey data of residents in Lagos, Nigeria, the purpose of this paper, therefore, is to explore whether what is already known about perceptions of procedural (in) justice of state police also applies to self-help security groups in Nigeria. This is with a view to influencing community support for and satisfaction with non-state policing in the country.Design/methodology/approachThe study adopted a case study approach. Lagos, Nigeria was stratified into the high, medium and low densities. Systematic sampling technique was used in selecting 1 out of every 20 buildings (5 percent) in each area. Household representative person on each floor of the selected building who had contact with vigilante corps in the last 12 months were targeted. Of 768 copies of questionnaires administered, a sample of 386 was effectively returned (representing 50 percent response rate). Six categories of variables were analyzed. These are procedural justice, distributive justice, vigilante corps’ performance, legitimacy, residents’ satisfaction with vigilante corps activities and socio-economic characteristics.FindingsResults reveal that respondents are not primarily instrumental in their support for vigilantisms. Instead, their support is associated with their basic communal values. More than effectiveness in controlling crime, vigilantisms receive community support provided they use procedural justice in dealings with the public. Respondents who perceive vigilantisms use procedural justice also view them as legitimate, and as well satisfy with their activities and services. Besides, results show that support for and satisfaction with vigilantisms are associated with environmental, social and economic characteristics of the residents in the community they serve. The thesis supported in this research paper is that public support for and satisfaction with vigilantisms can be influenced significantly through policing strategies that builds legitimacy.Originality/valueVigilantism pervades contemporary policing strategies. It is supported by national crime prevention policies, according to the logic that the use of community self-help security strategies could contribute to sustainable crime prevention. This study extends research on legitimacy, with an empirical focus on Nigerian vigilantism. Understanding factors that shape public support for vigilantism may enhance safer communities.

Anti-money laundering effectiveness: assessing outcomes or ticking boxes?

PurposeThis article aims to constructively critique the new global methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of anti-money laundering regimes against defined outcomes.Design/methodology/approachWith surprisingly little discussion at the intersection of the money laundering and policy effectiveness and outcomes scholarship and practice, this article combines elements of these disciplines and recent peer-review evaluations, to qualitatively assess the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF’s) anti-money laundering “effectiveness” methodology.FindingsFATF’s “effectiveness” methodology does not yet reflect an outcome-oriented framework as it purports. Misapplication of outcome labels to outputs and activities miss an opportunity to evaluate outcomes, as the impact and effect of anti-money laundering policies.Practical implicationsIf the “outcomes” of the “effectiveness” framework do not match the crime and terrorism prevention policy goals of nation states, the new “main” component for assessing the effectiveness of anti-money laundering regimes potentially detracts focus and resources from, rather than towards, intended policy objectives.Originality/valueThere is a dearth of scholarship whether the global anti-money laundering “effectiveness” framework is sufficiently robust to assess effectiveness as it purports. This article begins addressing that gap.

Study on the elderly crime factors and related measures

최근 폭력적이고 과격한 노인을 의미하는 폭주노인이 새로운 노인문제로 등장하였다. 이는 노인의 통제되지 못하는 감정상태가 과격한 행동 양상으로 나타나는 것을 의미한다. 폭주노인에 의한 노인범죄는 산업화로 인한 사회구조적 변화에 노인이 적응할 충분한 시간을 가지지 못한 것이 원인이라고 볼 수 있다. 이러한 상태에서 노인범죄를 개인의 일탈로 규정하기보다는 사회적 기능이 현저히 약화된 상태에서 나타나는 심리사회적 부작용의 일부라고 할 수 있다. 그렇기 때문에 노후의 삶에 대한 준비가 절대적으로 부족한 노인으로서는 자연히 사회적응에 대한 탄력성이 떨어질 수 있을 것으로 본다. 더욱이 노인범죄를 단순히 대인관계 기술과 원만하지 못한 사회생활에만 초점을 두는 우리사회의 인식 수준으로 인해 노인범죄에 대한 정확한 진단 및 대책은 미온적으로 나타날 수밖에 없을 것이다. 따라서 본고에서는 증가하는 노인범죄 현상을 분석하기 위해 노인의 심리사회적 특성과 노인이 범죄를 저지르게 되는 원인을 심리사회적 요인으로 구분하고 그 문제점을 살펴보았다. 그리고 노인범죄를 예방하기 위한 교정복지적 차원의 대책 방안을 모색하여 향후 노인범죄예방 정책에 기여하고자 하였다.Recently, the aggravated elderly, that means the old men who are violent and radical, have emerged as new elderly issue. This means the uncontrolled emotional state of the elderly appears to be a radical behavior pattern. Regarding the elderly crime by the aggravated elderly, it can be attributed to the fact that the elderly people do not have sufficient time to adapt themselves to social structural changes caused by industrialization. In this situation, it can be regarded as a part of the psychosocial side-effects in which the social functions are considerably weakened, rather than a definition of the elderly crime as an individual deviation. Therefore, it is also thought to be natural that the elderly who are absolutely lack of preparation for old age could have insufficient flexibility for social adaptation. Additionally, accurate diagnosis and countermeasures for elderly crime will be inevitably passive due to the level of our society that only focuses on the elderly crime as simple interpersonal skills and unpeaceful social life. Therefore, in order to analyze the increasing crime phenomenon of the elderly, this study classified the psychosocial characteristics of the elderly and the crime causes as psychosocial factors and identified the problems. In addition, this study tried to identify the measures from the correctional welfare perspectives to prevent elderly crime and to contribute to the future elderly crime prevention policy.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and arrest history: Differential association of clinical characteristics by sex

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often cited as a risk factor for criminality. However, many studies do not take other criminogenic variables into account when reporting on this relationship. It is even less clear whether models that include ADHD as a potential risk factor for criminality consider the importance of sex differences. To answer this question, we collected data from a telephone population survey sampling adults over the age of 18 years in the province of Ontario, Canada (final sample size = 5196). Respondents were screened for ADHD using the Adult ADHD Self-Report Version 1.1 Screener (ASRS-V1.1) and four extra items. Problematic drinking was assessed using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), while cannabis misuse was evaluated using the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). The Antisocial Personality Disorder Scale from the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview provided a measure of previous conduct disorder symptoms and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire screening procedure was used to gauge general distress. History of arrest was self-reported. Three separate logistic regression analyses (entire sample, male only, and female only) were applied to estimate the association of the foregoing variables with arrest history. In the combined sample, conduct disorder symptoms, problem alcohol use, and problem cannabis use all predicted history of arrest. With regard to the male sample, conduct disorder symptoms, elevated AUDIT and ASSIST scores, and general distress were associated with an arrest history. For the female subsample, only conduct disorder symptoms and problematic cannabis use showed a relationship with criminality. To summarize, ADHD did not predict history of arrest for either subsample or the combined sample. When comparing males and females, conduct disorder symptoms and cannabis misuse exerted stronger effects on history of arrest for females than males. These results suggest that the relative importance and type of clinical risk factors for arrest may differ according to sex. Such information could be useful for crime prevention policies and correctional programs that take into account differences in experience by sex.

On hate crime victimization: Rates, types, and links with suicide risk among sexual orientation minority special interest group members

ABSTRACTHate crimes remain pressing traumatic events for sexual orientation minority adults. Previous literature documents patterns in which hate crime victimization is associated with elevated risk for poor mental health. The present paper held 2 aims to advance literature. First, we investigated the rates and types of hate crime victimization among sexual orientation minority adults. Second, adopting a mental health amplification risk model, we evaluated whether symptoms of depression, impulsivity, or post-traumatic stress exacerbated the hate crime victimization–suicide risk link. Participants were 521 adult sexual orientation minority-identifying members of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (i.e., a bondage and discipline, and sadomasochism-identifying sexuality special interest group). Participants completed demographic and mental health inventories via online administration. Results showed: (1) low rates of total lifetime hate crime victimization and (2) higher rates of interpersonal violence compared to property crime victimization within the sample. Regression results showed: (1) independent positive main effects of all 3 mental health symptom categories with suicide risk; (2) an interaction pattern in which impulsivity was positively associated with suicide risk for non-victims; and (3) an interaction pattern in which post-traumatic stress was positively associated with suicide risk for hate crime victims and non-victims. Results are discussed concerning implications for trauma-informed mental healthcare, mental health amplification models, and hate crime and suicide prevention policies.

Model of Crime Prevention by Environment

The objectives of this study are to manage local physical environment and to apply the human relations in the community as a guideline to prevent crime in the community effectively. This is another way to reduce the possibility of crime. However, the crime prevention by the environment in Thailand still lacks the importance given to the management of crime prevention by the environment of the government. Therefore, this study has the objective in studying the crime prevention model by the environment in Thailand. In this study, the qualitative research methodology is used to determine the appropriate crime prevention policy. The population is selected by specific sampling method. This sample consists of the stakeholders in the community and police stations using the indepth interview with the award-winning area of the Community Police, 2014, being the area where crime statistics are reduced in the area of Phrae Police Station. The researcher conducts the in-depth interview with the sample group; 10 administrators of the police station and the community. The research result reveals that the crime prevention model by environment in the concrete environment (physical) consists of risky areas, city planning design, and residential design and the dimension of the abstract environment (human relationships) consists of the arrangement of community activities, neighborhood alarm, and the public surveillance. It is found that all aspects are crime prevention by arranging the appropriate environment as a guideline for preventing crime and reducing crime in the area.

Analysis of Actors' Interaction Patterns in the Formation Process of Sexual Crime Prevention Policy: Focusing on classification and case analysis

Analysis of Actors' Interaction Patterns in the Formation Process of Sexual Crime Prevention Policy: Focusing on classification and case analysis

MULTI-SPATIOTEMPORAL PATTERNS OF RESIDENTIAL BURGLARY CRIMES IN CHICAGO: 2006-2016

Abstract. This research attempts to explore the patterns of burglary crimes at multi-spatiotemporal scales in Chicago between 2006 and 2016. Two spatial scales are investigated that are census block and police beat area. At each spatial scale, three temporal scales are integrated to make spatiotemporal slices: hourly scale with two-hour time step from 12:00am to the end of the day; daily scale with one-day step from Sunday to Saturday within a week; monthly scale with one-month step from January to December. A total of six types of spatiotemporal slices will be created as the base for the analysis. Burglary crimes are spatiotemporally aggregated to spatiotemporal slices based on where and when they occurred. For each type of spatiotemporal slices with burglary occurrences integrated, spatiotemporal neighborhood will be defined and managed in a spatiotemporal matrix. Hot-spot analysis will identify spatiotemporal clusters of each type of spatiotemporal slices. Spatiotemporal trend analysis is conducted to indicate how the clusters shift in space and time. The analysis results will provide helpful information for better target policing and crime prevention policy such as police patrol scheduling regarding times and places covered.

Network Constrained Spatio-Temporal Hotspot Mapping of Crimes in Faisalabad

The Network Kernel Density Estimation (NetKDE) is a useful tool for visualization of point events over a network space, but it lacks in expressing the statistical significance of the mapped phenomenon. In this paper, we discuss the network hotspot detection of street crimes by integrating the NetKDE and the Getis-Ord GI* statistics. We selected four types of network-constrained crimes, i.e., bike theft, car theft, robbery, and snatching. The NetKDE is a useful technique to study the patterns of crimes bounded by the road networks. We used the Spatial Analysis along Networks (SANET) tools for computing the Network Kernel Density Estimation (NetKDE) and utilized the results of the NetKDE as input values for computing the Getis-Ord GI* statistics. The combination of these two methods can detect the network-constrained hotspots that are statistically significant. We also performed the network K-function, the extension of the Ripley’s K-function on networks. The network K-function analysis displays the significant clustering of crime events at different scales. Results demonstrated that the intensity of street crimes are strongly concentrated in the central part of the city. Moreover, the results reflected that the functional nature of different urban land use affects the frequency of crime events. Various urban land uses such as commercial, residential and industrial area seemed to influence the distribution of different types of crimes. The hotspot analysis has real potential, impacting the police patrolling protocols. The methods presented in this study suggest that there is a need to distinguish the planar and network hotspots and crime prevention policies could be enacted according to the type of hotspots.

A Disruptive Influence? “Prevent-ing” Problems and Countering Violent Extremism Policy in Practice

This article describes how disrupting the activities of suspected violent extremists has become an increasingly significant construct in the policy and practice of the Prevent strand of UK Counter-Terrorism. Informed by empirical data collected during semi-structured interviews with police officers involved in conducting disruptions and members of the communities where these occurred, blended with a limited amount of field observation, the analysis documents how and why a logic of disruption has assumed increasing prominence in counter terrorism work. In respect of police interventions in particular, implementing disruptions, rather than pursuing fully-fledged prosecutions, represents a pragmatic way of reconciling increasing demand with limited resources, as well as managing some of the difficulties of translating intelligence into legal evidence. Conceptualized in this way, the analysis positions disruption as a distinctive mode of crime prevention; one premised upon logics of near-event interdiction. As such, it is understood as rather different in its operations and functions to other forms of “early intervention” that are increasingly prominent in much contemporary crime prevention policy. By focusing upon how specific Prevent interventions are implemented and performed this analysis makes a particular contribution to our knowledge of counter terrorism work. This reflects the fact that most previous studies of Prevent and other countering violent extremism programs have provided analyses of community perceptions and reactions to policing and the policy frame, rather than the configuration of the interventions themselves.

Arrests, Harm Reduction, and Police Crime Prevention Policy

Arrests, Harm Reduction, and Police Crime Prevention Policy

Domestic burglary drop and the security hypothesis

This study examines the role of household security devices in producing the domestic burglary falls in England and Wales. It extends the study of the security hypothesis as an explanation for the ‘crime drop’. Crime Survey for England and Wales data are analysed from 1992 to 2011/12 via a series of data signatures indicating the nature of, and change in, the relationship between security devices and burglary. The causal role of improved security is strongly indicated by a set of interlocking data signatures: rapid increases in the prevalence of security, particularly in the availability of combinations of the most effective devices (door and window locks plus security lighting); a steep decline in the proportion of households without security accompanied by disproportionate rises in their burglary risk; and the decline being solely in forced rather than unforced entries to households. The study concludes that there is strong evidence that security caused the decline in burglary in England and Wales in the 1990s. Testing the security hypothesis across a wider range of crime types, countries and forms of security than examined to date, is required both to understand the crime drop and to derive lessons for future crime prevention practice and policy.

Do Barriers to Crime Prevention Moderate the Effects of Situational Crime Prevention Policies on Violent Crime in High Schools?

ABSTRACTThis study investigates how barriers to school-based crime prevention programming moderate the effects of situational crime prevention (SCP) policies on levels of violent crime in U.S. public high schools. Using data from the 2008 School Survey on Crime and Safety, we estimate a series of negative binomial regression models with interactions to investigate whether the effects of SCP policies on violent crime vary by the presence of school-based barriers to crime prevention, such as poor teacher training, inadequate funds, and lack of parental support. Our results indicate that the effect of certain SCP policies operate differently depending on the presence or absence of specific limiting factors. Policy implications of this research suggest that schools can aid in preventing violent crime by addressing obstacles to the effective implementation of school crime prevention efforts.

Responsabilidad, trabajo y condiciones de vida. Problematizaciones sobre los jóvenes en los programas de prevención social del delito en Argentina

The aim of this paper is to analyze how do the recipients of social crime prevention policies are illustrated, particularly under the concepts of self-worth and dependence, in Argentine during the first decade of the new century. We try to know the ways in which the old question of “danger classes” is re-elaborated in our days. Specifically we try to associate such issue whit the ideas of work and life conditions. We use a qualitative methodological approach to analyze the social crime prevention policies in Argentina during the first decade of the new century. We argue that such interventions stressed in different ways the concepts of self-worth and cut dependence: On the one hand enable a rightful self-reliance’s space, regarding the protection of the rights of targeted youth; on the other hand other processes enhance self-responsibility, regarding the neoliberal transformation of social policy.

A Comparitve Study of Anlyzing Data Minig Methods in Libyan National Crime Data

Law enforcement agencies which are represented in the police today are faced with large volume of data that must be processed and transformed into useful information and hence data mining can greatly improve crime analysis and aid in reducing and preventing crime as much as possible. Crime reports and data are used as an input for the formulation of the crime prevention policies and strategic plans. This work will apply some data mining methods to analyses Libyan national criminal record data to help the Libyan government to make a strategically decision regarding prevention the increasing of the high crime rate these days. The data was collected manually from Benghazi, Tripoli, and Al-Jafara Supremes Security Committee (SSC). A comparative study will be conducted with a recent model used in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to detect and classify the major personality and behavioral characteristics of an individual based upon analysis of the crime or crimes the person committed. Our proposed model will be able to extract crime patterns by using association rule mining and clustering to classify crime records on the basis of the values of crime attributes.

Crime prevention and young people: Models and future direction for youth night patrols

This article presents a typology of different approaches to social crime prevention adopted by Australian Indigenous youth night patrols. Research that informed this typology occurred in a specific context, but generic observations about youth crime prevention policy are transferable to community youth crime prevention in other settings. The typology identifies several key points of difference between various service delivery models, in particular, different perceptions of relationships between crime prevention; community safety; community development; community self-determination; child protection; and youth development and welfare. Discussion teases out how political discourse frames concepts such as community governance, self-determination, paternalism, and funding accountability. The discussion illustrates how politicised decision-making has meant that policy makers responded selectively to programme evaluations, in ways that did not always maximise benefit. The typology is intended to be useful to youth crime prevention practitioners, evaluators, and policy makers.

Designing and implementing programmes to tackle radicalization and violent extremism: lessons from criminology

The field of criminology has helped to inform research and debate on the causes and prevention of terrorism. It has also provided important insights into understanding and tackling radicalization and violent extremism. In this paper the criminological field of crime prevention is drawn on to highlight how lessons from crime prevention policy and practice can help inform the ways central and local governments, authorities and community-based organizations programmatically (at the level of planning, designing and implementing policy or strategies) respond to radicalization and violent extremism. The five key lessons/insights covered are (1) the possible iatrogenic effects of interventions, (2) the need to use credible voices, (3) limits of diversion, (4) tension between central and local priorities, and (5) sustainability and capacity building. The aim is to highlight how various pitfalls in programme design and delivery can be overcome in the field of deradicalization and countering violent extremism. While the issues canvassed are not an exhaustive list, this paper reflects similar attempts to identify how experiences from other policy fields can help inform counter-terrorism efforts.

Problematising Advanced Liberal Youth Crime Prevention: The Impacts of Management Reforms on Irish Garda Youth Diversion Projects

Principles of advanced liberal youth justice policy and practice have infiltrated several jurisdictions. Reflective of these developments, this article contends that Irish youth crime prevention and diversion policy has been dominated by three central rationalities: New Public Management, deficit-based explanations of young people’s behaviour and the prioritising of behaviourist types of interventions with young people. To illustrate this argument, the article analyses the Agenda of Change reform process of the multi-agency Garda Youth Diversion Projects. Paying close attention to the discursive nature of policy texts and associated technologies of government, it is suggested that advanced liberal discourses are productive of a distinctive field of youth justice work.

Surveiller par les bases de données : construction et gestion des faits de sécurité et de sûreté dans le milieu ferroviaire

How can the use of databases contribute to the management of both safety (accident prevention) and security (crime prevention)? These two types of risk are typically studied separately, since the former relates to accidental events while the latter is concerned with intentional acts. However, bringing the two together makes it possible to explore similarities in their management, despite the differences in the type of risk. Through a case study of France's National Railway Company, this article shows how the public firm is using databases to rationalise its crime prevention policy on the basis of its previous experience in accident prevention, through a comparison of how staff in both domains collect, process and use data. The article highlights a shift in the company's security policy, as it uses databases to move crime handling from an “uncertainty” to a “risk” management strategy. However, the homogenisation of the data input process at national level reduces the instrumental value of the data at the local scale. The article finally shows that the constitution and use of data depend partly on the historicity and spatiality of risk.

Case Study of Security Governance for Safe City : Paris Safety Contract

치안거버넌스(Security Governance)는 국가경찰체제에서 독점적으로 다루어 오던 치안문제 해결방식으로는 새로운 치안환경에 효과적으로 대처할 수 없고 이를 극복하기 위한 새로운 치안활동방식의 도입이 필요하다는 인식하에 치안확보라는 거시적인 공동목표를 달성하기 위해 정부 및 경찰, 지방자치단체 등 공공부분, 민간부문, 시민사회가 상호의존적으로 협력하는 치안활동 방식이다. 본 연구에서는 치안거버넌스 정책운영 사례로서 프랑스 파리의 「범죄예방과 안전 확보를 위한 파리협약 2015-2020(파리안전협약)」의 치안거버넌스 구성과 운영 체계을 검토·분석함으로써 도시 특성상 유사한 우리나라의 서울특별시 범죄예방 정책 수립에 있어서의 정책적 시사점을 도출하는 것이다. 파리안전협약은 입법적 근거를 마련하여 협약당사자들과 파트너 기관·단체들의 의무와 역할을 명확히 하고 있다. 또한, 범죄예방정책이라는 특성을 고려하여 협약의 유동성을 확보하고 있다. 즉, 사회변화에 시시각각 대응할 수 있도록 협약 재체결을 의무적으로 예정해 두고, 협약의 파트너 기관·단체들의 범위를 협약내용에 따라 다양하게 선정할 수 있게 하고 있다. 또한, 파리시나 파리경시청 차원에 적용되는 파리안전협약을 획일적으로 구(區)나 경찰서에 적용하는 것이 아니라 구(區)단위에서의 지역 실정과 여건에 맞는 안전협약을 체결하도록 함으로써 치안거버넌스의 비효율성과 비현실성을 극복하고 있다. 그리고 파리안전협약은 그 동안 거버넌스 행정에서 가장 큰 걸림돌이 되었던 당사자 간의 정보공유와 교류를 입법적으로 해결함으로써 실질적인 치안거버넌스를 구현하고 있다.Security Governance is an interdependent cooperation among public sector, including government, police and local authorities, private sector and civil society to secure the local safety and security. The purpose of the present study is to find some suggestions for the establishment of crime prevention policy in Seoul, analyzing the “Paris Contract for the crime prevention and security 2015-2020(Paris Safety Contract)” as a case of security governance. Paris Safety Contract makes clear the roles and obligations of the parties to the contract and partner agencies and organizations by creating a legislative basis. In addition, it is a moving contract taking into consideration the nature of the crime prevention policies. In other words, it obliges re-signing to respond constantly to social changes, and it makes various the range of partner agencies and organizations according to the contents of the contract. Paris Safety Contract also allows each arrondissement to make local security contract considering the local situations and conditions, thereby getting rid of the inefficiency and unreality of the security governance. It realizes substantial security governance by legalizing the exchange and sharing of informations among the parties to the contract.