NCJ Number
81276
Date Published
1980
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Crime prevention efforts in Switzerland are summarized, with emphasis on the public relations work done by the city of Zurich and the Zurich police.
Abstract
Even in Switzerland, crime steadily rises: in 1978 and 1979 Zurich had 15 murders; robberies rose from 269 in 1978 to 326 in 1979; burglaries increased by 8 percent, to 10,700 incidents. Legislative prevention prohibits firearms and drug possession and other criminal acts while mandating the police law enforcement function. It is recognized, however, that repression of crime attacks only the symptoms of social ills; it is prevention that aims at the causes. Zurich's anticrime prevention measures include lectures at various community gatherings, exhibits, media coverage, brochures with safety tips for individual prevention, posters, police instruction on criminal tactics and how to foil them, and counseling services geared to behavior modification and citizen attitude change. The Zurich police aim to inform the public, achieve cooperation between the police and the community, and enlighten the citizens on the possibilities of prevention through specific self-help measures. Special campaigns are being waged against auto theft, burglaries of homes in the owners' absence, burglaries of businesses, and pickpocketing. Countermeasures against these crime types are being publicized to potential victims through a variety of media. Plans are underway to extend a coordinated crime prevention program nationwide. Illustrations are provided.