NCJ Number
85479
Date Published
1980
Length
6 pages
Annotation
This article reviews crime and offense rates in Singapore for 1968-77, suggests factors affecting crime trends, and describes recent changes in police organization and functions.
Abstract
The reported crime rate for 1968-77 in Singapore has declined. Except for 1971, the crime rate for the other years was lower than 1968. The lowest crime rate was recorded in 1976, with only 792 cases per 100,000 population. Factors that may affect trends of reported crime are the densities of community populations, cultural conditions, crime-reporting patterns of residents, residents' attitudes toward crime, the effectiveness of law enforcement agencies and the policies of other criminal justice agencies, and economic conditions. In gearing itself to meet the challenge of changing patterns and social structure, the Singapore police revised its organizational structure and expanded to include the National Servicemen, the Special Constabulary, and the Community Security Force comprising the Vigilante Corps. Team policing has been implemented, and the reorganization of the divisional structure has seen the upgrading of capable sergeants to investigative and administrative duties. Changes in the criminal investigation department have enabled it to provide better investigative services and better support for divisional police officers. Operation Ferret has streamlined drug enforcement efforts, as daily drug enforcement on a national scale has been entrusted to the police while the Central Narcotics Bureau concentrates on international drug trafficking. Data are presented on aggregate crime, murder, cheating and criminal breach of trust, sex crimes, and theft offenses.