NCJ Number
63461
Date Published
1979
Length
60 pages
Annotation
MAJOR RESULTS OF A CANADAIN RESEARCH PROJECT ON CRIME PREVENTION POLICIES AND PRIORITIES ARE REPORTED FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE MINISTRY OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL OF CANADA.
Abstract
FOLLOWING A SURVEY OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN QUEBEC PROVINCE, CANADA, AND IN SEVERAL EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, THE FRENCH LITERATURE ON CRIME PREVENTION AND THE ENGLISH LITERATURE ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CRIME AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS ARE REVIEWED. ALTHOUGH RELIABLE INFORMATION ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PREVENTION PROGRAMS WAS UNAVAILABLE IN EUROPE OR QUEBEC, RESEARCH CONDUCTED IN THE U.S. INDICATES THAT EFFORTS TO CHANGE THE POTENTIAL OFFENDER (I.E., SECONDARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS) ARE GENERALLY INEFFECTIVE. CHANGING THE ENVIRONMENT TO MAKE CRIME MORE DIFFICULT (I.E., PRIMARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS) IS MOST PROMISING. FINDINGS FROM A SURVEY OF 34 DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS IN QUEBEC PROVINCE SHOW THAT MOST PROGRAMS OPERATE IN MONTREAL AND ARE FOUND IN BOTH UNDERPRIVILEGED AND AFFLUENT AREAS. CLIENTS ARE ADOLESCENTS OF BOTH SEXES, AND VERY FEW PROGRAMS ACTIVELY SEEK THEM OUT. MOST PROGRAMS ASSOCIATE DELINQUENCY WITH A SHORTAGE OF SOCIOECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES, AND HALF OF THE PROGRAMS PROVIDE INTENSIVE SERVICES, WHILE THE OTHERS OFFER INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SERVICES, THE REPORT MAKES THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS: (1) SECONDARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS SHOULD GENERALLY BE REGARDED AS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS, WHILE GOVERNMENTS SHOULD FOCUS THEIR EFFORTS ON PRIMARY PREVENTION PROGRAMS; (2) THE PROVISION OF FREE EMERGENCY SERVICES AND LOW-COST, SHORT-TERM ACCOMMODATION FOR YOUNG PERSONS IN NEED SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED; (3) DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS SHOULD PROTECT THEIR PARTICIPANTS AGAINST HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS (SUCH AS LABELING); (4) MUNICIPAL CRIME PREVENTION COMMITTEES SHOULD BE ORGANIZED AND EMPOWERED TO PLAN, COORDINATE, AND EVALUATE CRIME AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION PROGRAMS; (5) RESEARCH INTO SECONDARY AND PRIMARY PREVENTION AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED; (6) EVALUATION STUDIES SHOULD BE CONDUCTED BY INDEPENDENT OUTSIDE RESEARCHERS WITH THE RESULTS DISSEMINATED WIDELY; (7) CRIME PREVENTION THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED; AND (8) THE CRIMINAL CODE SHOULD BE MODERNIZED. TABLES AND REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (PRG)