Gang issues could be addressed through the application of comprehensive models of problem-solving, including the SARA model developed by Eck and Spelman (1987). The SARA model is an acronym, which stands for scanning, analysis, response, assessment. The tool was developed to solve crime problems through identifying them clearly, utilizing different sources of information in the investigation of the problems, developing a range of solutions to the issue, and finally undertaking an evaluation of the solutions adopted. While the tool may not be a solution in itself, it provides a useful way through which the police and civilians alike may collaborate to deal with crime. This paper applied the SARA model to the case study of Riverside school whose stakeholders have expressed concerns over the past few weeks that a criminal gang that operates in the nearby urban center could soon threaten the school and the community around it.
Scanning
The first stage of the mode, which is scanning, entails the identification of issues and bringing them to the attention of a group with the objective initiating the problem-solving approach. Notably, scanning is a collective responsibility, which calls for the inclusion of people from different backgrounds in the community, such as students of the school, their parents, teachers, and investigating officers. During this stage, it would be useful to source for information from different backgrounds, including complaints from the public, police reports, information from the school that would point at the possibilities of a criminal gang operating in near the school, media coverage of the school and its community, surveys on the community, nearby recreation parks, and other sources (Howell, 2011). For example, the fact that criminal gangs operate in the nearby urban region of Rockville, and that their influence has been spreading to Riverside is a cause for worry for stakeholders of the school. The following problem statement would be useful for this stage of the process:
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Students of Riverside High School are threatened by spray-painted graffiti of a criminal gang on the concession stand of the football field and the front parking of the school.
The importance of the problem statement indicated in italics is that it attains consensus on the type of issue that should be addressed in addition to offering guidance for a further comprehension of the problem (Howell, 2011).
Analysis
The analysis state of the second phase of the SARA model, and its objective is to develop a thorough comprehension of the issue at hand. This stage, according to Helfgott (2008), is the most critical of the four since it offers valuable information that could be applied in crafting appropriate responses to the issue. The same cited literature suggests that the importance of the stage draws from its chances of assessing the effectiveness of the designed responses since it can offer a baseline for before and after measurements of the impact of the response. It would be important to collect information about the problem using several methods, which include interviews and surveys on the residents of Riverside, the students of the school, teachers, and managers, police officers, security personnel at the school, parks and recreational ground employees, and known gang members in Rockville. It would also be important to collect information from documented observations of the affected region of Riverside, which include the demographic features and activities of people in the region, counting the incidences of graffiti in the region and its neighborhood, taking pictures and videos, vandalism, abandoned vehicles, and other environmental features (Helfgott, 2008). Statistics, such as those on police records of gang violence, incident reports, school attendance data, including suspension and truancy, sales records of specific tools like spray paints, and calls for service could also be useful in the analysis stage of the model. It would be useful to understand the actors, in this case the gang members, the controllers, guardians, and managers of the offenders, incidents, and reactions. In line with the problem statement earlier developed, it could be important to understand who the actors in the incident are, including who could be harmed, who could be committing the harm, and what tools they use to create the harm. Information about the understood facts of the harm, such as the physical setting, the sequence of events, and the immediate results would also be important. The goal of the assessment stage of the process, therefore, would be to totally eliminate the threat and reassure the public and school alike that Riverside is safe for learning and staying.
Response
This stage of the process will have three objectives, which are the development of options founded on the information that was collected in the second phase, the selection of a response, and the implementation of the response. The following could be the possible responses to the issue:
Focusing in—concentrating attention on a small group of persons who mostly account for a disproportionate share of the issue, such as the victims, facilitators, and offenders, especially using data from other affected regions.
Collaborating with private and governmental personnel to help in curbing the problem
The application of negotiation and mediation skills to abate possible conflicts
Conveying accurate and sound information to both the school and the community about the real danger of the likelihood that gangs could be operating in the region with the objectives of reducing fear and anxiety, enabling the public to solve their own issues, assisting the public to conform to laws and regulations that they could not be aware of, warning probable victims about their vulnerability to increase their safety, and developing support for tackling the issue. Another option would be to mobilize the community against gang violence, altering the physical environment to enhance security, and applying the criminal justice system when necessary.
Since the objective of the plan is to eliminate the perceived threat, the most useful option would be to mobilize the community, alter the physical space, and apply the criminal justice approach, especially when required, focusing in, and connecting with other private and governmental services to deter the crime. The implementation of the plan would rely a great deal of teamwork from law enforcement officers, the leadership of the school, and the community.
Assessment
Surveys on the community and the school to determine if any changes shall have been realized within a month after the implementation of the plan would be the most effective way of assessing its effectiveness.
References
Helfgott, J. B. (2008). Criminal behavior: Theories, typologies and criminal justice . Sage.
Howell, J. C. (2011). Gang prevention: An overview of research and programs . DIANE Publishing.
