FOCUS ON CRIME with Dickson Chitake

Crime is a societal ill that has continuously plagued communities around the globe.

The threat of crime has resulted in people seeking different safety alternatives, one of which is the police. The police have become a staple in every society, as they ensure that the law is upheld at all times.

Despite their efforts, however the community has continued to blame them for not doing enough to prevent crime from occurring. However, it is important to understand that crime prevention is not the sole responsibility of the police and that the community also has a role to play in preventing crime.

The police are responsible for maintaining law and order and are essential in providing a sense of security to members of the community. The police work to uncover crimes, arrest and to facilitate prosecution of offenders, and deploy various methods to deter criminal activities in the society.

However, society’s expectation that the police should entirely bear the responsibility of prevention is too high.

The police cannot be everywhere all the time, and there are many contributing factors to crime that the police have no control over, such as mental health issues, poverty, and lack of education.

Furthermore, if the police solely bear the responsibility of preventing crime, they become over stretched, resulting in poor community policing.

Community policing is the act of combining the efforts of the community and the police in preventing and solving crimes. It is a proactive approach that involves active participation and collaboration between the police and the community.

When the community takes responsibility for preventing crime, it reduces the workload on the police. There must be a sense of belonging among members of the community. A hostile or unsafe environment can lead to increased crime rates.

Additionally, lack of economic opportunities and poverty contribute significantly to crime. In many rich and poor countries, there is a link between crime and poverty. Therefore, the community needs to create economic opportunities that reduce the levels of poverty to minimise criminal activities.

A lack of education and ignorance also contribute to criminal activities. Lack of education leads to a dearth of opportunity and often leads to people resorting to crime in desperation. As such, the government and community need to provide access to quality education, raise awareness on the consequences of crime, and create programmes that empower individuals with the skills they need to succeed in life.

Moreover, the police often face prejudice, discrimination, and biased opinions due to rampant media reports about police brutality, leading to negative responses from the public.

It is important to understand that the police are not the cause of crime, but rather, they work tirelessly to apprehend criminals.

The police are often caught in a bind where they must balance between enforcing the law and protecting the rights of individuals. Their work is not a straightforward affair, and as such, they should not be the only unit of society expected to prevent crime.

Establishing Neighborhood Watch programmes, narrowing community-police communication gaps, and educating the public on ways to prevent crime, can be effective in preventing crime.

New technologies like Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras, drone surveillance, and neighborhood watch groups all work together to prevent crime and help the police in apprehending offenders.

The use of biometric systems, such as fingerprint scanners in public areas, can also serve as a deterrent to would-be offenders from committing crimes.

Together we can fight crime