Police Community Involvement - A Planned Approach to Effective Crime Prevention (From Community Policing - Proceedings, P 53-78, 1984, James Morgan ed. - See NCJ-97274)

• NCJ Number: 97277
• Author(s): D Smith
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 26 pages
• Sale Source: Australian Institute of Criminology; National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Survey (Cross-Cultural)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

This article chronicles the ongoing escalation of crime and disorder in Australia and examines efforts to counter this through police-community cooperation in crime prevention.

Abstract

Reactive policing is described, and its insufficient focus on minimizing causative factors in crime is noted. Proactive policing is defined as a planned course of action to prevent crime. Results of surveys to ascertain police and community attitudes toward the police role are reported. Attention focuses on the extent, cost, and fear of crime in the State of Victoria, and agencies' efforts to develop a balanced proactive/reactive model of policing or to retain a specialist approach to community involvement are described. Options available for formalizing police/community involvement are considered, with a focus on specialist and generalist responsibilities. Additionally, organizational goals and philosophies are described, and the types of data that police decisionmakers rely on are identified, and suggestions for extending the data base are offered. Finally, the Victoria Police Force is described, and its Police/Community Involvement Program, which includes a neighborhood watch program, is analyzed. The need for police managers to develop alternative methods for controlling crime is highlighted.