NCJ Number
186621
Editor(s)
Adam Graycar
Date Published
2000
Length
6 pages
Annotation
Certain prevention strategies can reduce the risk of assaults on taxi drivers in Australia, including technical interventions, training, and policy changes.
Abstract
Technical interventions encompass target hardening approaches, increasing the probability of identification through improved surveillance, and reducing the "rewards" of crime through cash reduction. Training for taxi drivers should include training in the use of equipment such as cameras and alarm systems, base links and operating procedures, legal requirements, police liaison and protocols, and communication and interpersonal skills. Taxi drivers may refuse to accept high risk passengers, to pick up passengers from specific suburbs, or to accept passengers from some pubs, and some taxi drivers carry weapons for self-protection. Legal and policy changes designed to prevent assaults on taxi drivers include appointing a Taxi Registrar with a Deputy Registrar selected from the police force; recording taxi certificates and license holders in a police data base; excluding taxi drivers with a history of dishonesty, violence, or drug trafficking; and maintaining a complaints register. Some individuals believe that quicker police assistance and more stringent court sentences may reduce the incidence of assaults on taxi drivers and that broader social and community prevention programs may reduce the risk of violence from drunk passengers. The author concludes effective prevention strategies require a combination of technical, social, and policy interventions. 30 references