NCJ Number
59905
Date Published
1979
Length
20 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON LOCAL CONCERNS SURROUNDING RURAL CRIME AND ITS PREVENTION, THE PROCEEDINGS OF A WORKSHOP HELD IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY, OHIO, IN 1979 ARE DESCRIBED.
Abstract
THE FAIRFIELD COUNTY RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, A GROUP DEDICATED TO IMPROVING LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY, APPOINTED A SUBCOMMITTEE TO ASSEMBLE A CROSS-SECTION OF COUNTY RESIDENTS TO DISCUSS CRIME PREVENTION. REPRESENTATIVES WERE INVITED FROM BUSINESSES, THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SERVICE CLUBS, JUVENILE COURT, LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES, CHURCHES, AND AREA SCHOOLS. AS WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS REPRESENTED TWO SEPARATE INTERESTS, I.E., LAYPERSONS AND SCHOOLTEACHERS, TWO SEPARATE DISCUSSION PERIODS WERE SCHEDULED FOR EACH GROUP. MOST PARTICIPANTS FOUND VANDALISM TO BE THE MOST COMMON CRIME COMMITTED IN THE COUNTY, WITH THIEVERY BEING SECOND. TEENAGERS, PARTICULARLY BETWEEN THE AGES OF 14 AND 18, WERE FELT TO BE MOST OFTEN RESPONSIBLE FOR CRIME IN THE COUNTY, A TREND AFFECTING ALL OF RURAL OHIO. PARTICIPANTS SUGGESTED CHANNELING YOUTH ENERGY INTO MORE POSITIVE DIRECTIONS, SUCH AS INVOLVEMENT IN PROGRAMS OF THE OHIO CRIME PREVENTION ASSOCIATION, AND IMPROVING ADULT (PARENT-TEACHER) ROLE MODELING. OF THE 32 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING IN THE WORKSHOP, 24 EVALUATED THE PROCEEDINGS AND FOUND THE PROGRAM BENEFICIAL. HOWEVER, A FEW CRITICAL COMMENTS AND USEFUL SUGGESTIONS WERE OFFERED CONCERNING PARTICIPANTS' CONFUSION WITH STATISTICAL PRESENTATIONS AND THEIR DESIRE FOR MORE TIME TO DEVOTE TO GROUP DISCUSSIONS AND THE ANSWERING OF QUESTIONS. FURTHER DISCUSSION CENTERS ON THE NEED FOR MORE CRIME PREVENTION WORKSHOPS AND CRIME PREVENTION AS A VIABLE CONCEPT. A COPY OF THE AGENDA FOR THE WORKSHOP EXPLAINS THE THEME AND FLOW OF THE PROCEEDINGS. SAMPLES OF HANDOUTS USED TO ASSIST RESIDENTS DURING DISCUSSION PERIODS ARE ALSO INCLUDED IN THE TEXT.