Surfing the Crime Net: Policing, Crime Prevention and Community Safety in Australia

2001 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 55-62
Author(s):  
Darren Palmer
Keyword(s):  
Crime Prevention ◽  
Community Safety

scholarly journals Guardianship in the Digital Age

2018 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle M. Reynald
Keyword(s):  
Crime Prevention ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Social Engagement ◽  
Crime Control ◽  
Digital Age ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Digital Crime ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Pros And Cons ◽  
And Control

This conceptual article focuses on the potential to advance and extend guardianship using new digital crime prevention applications that have been developed as a consequence of technological advancements in communication and social engagement. The new opportunity structure for informal guardianship through active citizen participation and involvement in crime prevention and control efforts using the Internet and smartphones is discussed to emphasize how this has changed in the digital age. Specifically, the article highlights how the fundamental tenets of guardianship (i.e., what it means to be available, how supervision or monitoring is carried out and ways of intervening) have evolved due to neighborhood watch/community safety mobile applications. Based on what we have learned about guardianship, this article considers the potential for these digital crime prevention applications to extend and support guardianship. It also assesses these applications critically by highlighting some of the concerns and risks that need to be considered amid the proliferation of these new platforms for crime control. The article concludes by weighing up the pros and cons with a view to focusing on key issues in the continued development of such applications so their potential can be maximized.

scholarly journals A quantitative study of Prince Albert’s crime/risk reduction approach to community safety

2017 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Murray J. Sawatsky ◽  
Rick Ruddell ◽  
Nicholas A. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Crime Prevention ◽  
Community Mobilization ◽  
Crime Rates ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Policy Practice ◽  
Costs Of Crime ◽  
Short Period ◽  
Crime Risk

Faced with escalating crime rates and increasing demands for services, the Prince Albert Police Service led a mobilization effort to implement a crime/risk reduction strategy called Community Mobilization Prince Albert (CMPA). This study examines the evolution of crime prevention practices from traditional police-based practices that rely on focused enforcement practices, to the emerging risk reduction model, wherein police-led partnerships with community agencies are developing responses to the unmet needs of individuals and families facing acutely elevated risk (AER). These community mobilization strategies have resonated with justice system stakeholders throughout Canada, diffusing throughout the nation in a relatively short period of time. This study examines the outcomes of these crime prevention efforts and their results on reducing crime and social disorder and the associated costs of crime to society, after implementation of CMPA in 2011. In order to evaluate the crime reduction efficacy of this approach, crime rates and the costs of crime were examined prior to the adoption of the mobilization efforts and afterwards. We find a statistically significant decrease in the rates of violent and property crimes after the introduction of the community mobilization approach, and the costs to society of these offences also decreased. Given those findings, a number of implications for policy, practice, and future research are identified.

scholarly journals Community Safety and Crime Prevention Partnerships: Challenges and Opportunities

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Sheperdson ◽  
Garner Clancey ◽  
Murray Lee ◽  
Thomas Crofts
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Crime Prevention ◽  
State Government ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Australian State ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
The One ◽  
The Individual

In many jurisdictions around the world, community safety and crime prevention activity is supported by interagency committees. In the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), local government Community Safety Officers (CSOs) lead, support or participate in a range of interagency and ‘whole of government’ networks, most of which were established to support central NSW state government crime prevention and community safety initiatives. Research was conducted with the aim of exploring the CSOs’ experience of the ‘whole of government’ partnerships established to support community safety and crime prevention in NSW.[i] The findings support international research which suggests that central-local partnerships are inhibited by different agendas, responsibilities and power dynamics across different levels of government. Some of the key contextual challenges for this work include concerns about costs shifting from State to local government and about shifting State government priorities; barriers to funding and to accessing crime (and other) data; and various administrative burdens. Consequently, we argued that there is a need for formal engagement and negotiation between, on the one hand, State government agencies that steer NSW crime prevention and, on the other, community safety policy initiatives and local government. Such engagement could help overcome the perception, indeed the reality, that shifting and dumping costs and responsibilities to local government is creating a range of burdens for CSOs. [i] The authors thank the NSW Local Government Community Safety and Crime Prevention Network and the individual local government CSOs who kindly assisted and contributed to this research.

A criminologically informed examination of looting behaviour during natural disaster incidents

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Gaherity ◽  
Philip Birch
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Crime Prevention ◽  
Natural Disaster ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Prevention Measures ◽  
Prevention Policy ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine looting behaviour during natural disaster incidents. As a consequence, this study considers looting in the context of two case studies: a Tsunami and a Bushfire. The study offers an exploration into the types of and motivations for looting, as well as reflecting on prevention measures. Design/methodology/approach The methodological approach of a rapid evidence assessment (REA) is used to examine looting behaviour within the context of two natural disaster incidents, drawing on a thematic analysis, as outlined by Braun and Clarke (2006) to support the presentation of findings. Findings The findings of the REA yield three themes. The first theme, Theme 1, focuses on the types of offenders – looters, while Theme 2 focuses on the motivations for offending behaviour – looting. The final theme, Theme 3, presents crime prevention responses: looters and looting. Each theme is further illustrated through a number of sub-themes, and while the two case studies centre on two distinct natural disaster incidents, there are similarities that exist between them offering insights for why looting occurs and consequently how to respond to looting. Research limitations/implications Previous research has recognised how incidents such as bushfires enable and create opportunity for looting behaviour. Yet, arguably, little has been achieved in successfully preventing such behaviour. This study offers evidence for why looting occurs during natural disaster incidents and considers the prevention measures that can lead to a reduction in this offending into the future. The need for more detailed and primary research into looting during natural disaster incidents is a research implication engendered by the current study. Practical implications This study considers crime prevention approaches in the form of situational crime prevention and social development crime prevention that have direct relevance on crime prevention policy and practice. The practical implications are worthy of attention from law enforcement agencies and other first/emergency responders. Social implications This study seeks to offer evidence for policy and practice initiatives that can increase public safety and reduce further threats to community safety during natural disaster incidents. Originality/value After the terrorist attacks of 9/11, a concerted effort for swifter and more effective responses to emergency management incidents has occurred. However, the focus of such responses has typically overlooked looting during natural disaster incidents. This study goes some way in addressing that gap in the literature and connects the current scientific knowledge to prevention strategies, informing future policy and practice responses to addressing looting during such incidents. This study provides a stimuli for further research into looters, looting and natural disaster incidents.

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