Introduction
The priority of America’s government is to keep its citizens safe. Public security is very important for enabling daily activities to progress without disruption. A lot of efforts have been pushed by the government, policymakers and law enforcement agencies. Despite these efforts, crime rates in American cities continue to increase such as violent and property crime. This has had a serious negative influence on the quality of life of the American citizens. According to CityRating, the crime rate in California was 9.36% higher than the national average in 2012 (2017). Cities in California such as Sacramento, Long Beach and Fresno have higher crime rates surpassing the national average. Therefore, this is a proposal that seeks to enable California to adopt a crime prevention program. It will examine the benefits and effectiveness of crime prevention programs in reducing crime and enhancing public safety.
Summary of the criminal jurisdiction in California
California’s criminal justice system mainly strives to offer public safety to its residents. It does this through preventing crime, punishing criminals as well as re-integrating these criminals back to the community. The jurisdiction of the criminal justice system revolves around the criminal sentencing law, the laws that define crime and specifying appropriate punishments to the perpetrators. The sentencing law in the state of California defines three major types of criminal activities which include felonies, misdemeanours and infractions.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
To start with, a felony is defined as the most serious and violent crime in this state. Such activities include robbery, rape, murder, burglary of a residence, among others. Criminals who are convicted of a felony are sentenced either in county jails or state prisons. Sentences of such criminal activities will depend on the nature of the crime criminal history and discretion of the court. Secondly, misdemeanours are considered as less serious crimes in California. Such crimes include petty theft, assault, and public drunkenness, among others. An individual is sentenced to probation, fine or county jail. Infractions are considered as the least of a criminal offence which includes motor vehicle violation. Such offences like over speeding are punishable by a fine. In addition, there are status offences which only apply to juveniles or minors. Such offences will be punishable by truancy and curfews.
Determinate sentencing is another important element in California’s criminal system. This type of sentencing gives a felony convict an exact date of release. Previously, the state used indeterminate sentencing for felonies which only prescribed the minimum years for a sentence without the maximum. However, in 1976, the state enacted a new law for the criminal system which has a defined release date for felonies (CityRating, 2017). In some serious cases such as first-degree murder, indeterminate sentencing is still applied by the state criminal system. The jurisdiction of California’s criminal system operates within four stages. The commission of a crime is the first stage in the criminal process. The second stage is the perpetrators of the given crime are arrested by the state law enforcement. Prosecution of the criminal case is presented and determined in a trial court. Finally, after the sentence has been provided by the judge, the stage is undertaken by correction agencies and detention.
This proposal will be tackling criminal prevention which will reduce the chances of committing crimes and enhance public safety. The program will solely deal with the law enforcement as well as the public to reduce criminal activities in California
Analysis of current trends from three comparable cities in California
Three cities in California will be used to analyze the current trends in criminal activities. They include Sacramento, Long Beach and Fresno. The population of these three cities range from 460,000-500,000 people. In Sacramento, analyzing the crime rate this year will reveal current trends in solving these problems. The overall crime rate in this city is 34% higher than the national average and 27% more than the state of California (Areavibes, 2017). Property crime incidents were the highest together with petty theft whole rape and murder had low rates. In daily crime, there are more than ten criminal incidences in every 100,000 people. Sources reveal that there is 1 in every 27 chances to become a victim of any form of crime (Areavibes, 2017).
Despite being safe than 14% of American cities, Fresno general crime rate is 59% more than the national average making it more prone to crime as reported by Areavibes (2017). In every 100,000 people, there are more than 12 crimes committed every day. Violent and property crime rates in Fresno are significantly higher than the state and national mean. This has made Fresno one of the most insecure areas in California. Long beach is the safest city among the three with 26% more than the national average and 19% higher than California (Areavibes, 2017). However, there was a high rape rate in Long Beach than the three cities. Another shocking revelation was that violent crimes in Long Beach increased by 3%.
In comparison with the national data on crime, these California cities are more than the national average especially Fresno. This shows that numerous crimes are being committed in American cities. Fortunately, there are better improvement techniques which can significantly reduce these staggering results to guarantee increase safety to the public. They include the SARA model and the Crime Analysis Triangle.
To start with, SARA initials stand for scanning, analysis, response and assessment. The nature of this model is cyclical which requires the involved parties to regularly assess the effectiveness of the responses (Weisburd et al. 2008). This makes the responses to be adjusted regularly to achieve desired results. It has been considered as an averagely effective way of dealing with crime problems. In addition, this model requires collaborative efforts with other partners and other important stakeholders. On the other hand, crime analysis triangle is another problem-solving technique which appears complex. This technique revolves around two theories mainly environmental criminology and routine-activity theory. The theory denotes that crime occurs when a likely offender and a suitable target meet at a given place and time without the presence of a capable guardian. The triangle is made up of the offender, target and location. The SARA model is likely to be the appropriate prevention strategy to deal with a crime after immense success in the UK. Therefore, it would act as a base for enabling crime reduction in California.
How does the crime prevention program address social justice issues of the community?
Crime prevention aims to benefit the community regarding public safety. This will ensure that normal day-to-day activities are not disrupted with any form of crime. Most of the criminal activities are usually as a result of social issues such as unfair treatment in regards to economic capacity, revenge, poverty, stress, among many others. Fortunately, prevention programs aim to address the social issues of the community which are mainly the cause of crime. Operation Ceasefire was crime prevention program installed in Boston to reduce gun-related crimes and homicides. This program employed problem-oriented policing such as the SARA model which involved a lot of collaboration with community agencies. The police focused on addressing social justices by threatening youths in a gang with serious punishment when caught with a firearm. This meant that they would spend more time in incarceration and might even fail to have families of their own. They collaborated with community agencies to get funds for the program. This led to whopping 63% drop in homicide cases thus transforming Boston (Weisburd et al., 2008). This created an environment where the youth would be involved in skill development as well as going to school. It also created a safe public environment where youths involved in sports could practice safely to nurture their talents.
SARA prevention model has also been used by UK neighbourhood policing approach to deal with violence incidences, especially among the youth. This model enabled police officers in the UK to work closely with the local people to identify the issues resulting from criminal activities. Increased policing problems in Cardiff such as violence and antisocial behaviour had become very common. Alcohol-related violence and disorders were disrupting the city. Police officers were tiered to the SARA prevention model. They increased their presence especially during early hours and arrested drunk youths for various offences. Within a year, Cardiff realized a sharp 4% decrease in alcohol-related violence and assaults (Weisburd et al. 2008). The city was able to exhibit a better and secure social environment which was crucial for daily activities such as schooling, businesses, and public transport, among many others.
Insecure neighbourhoods can make life very difficult for surrounding residents. It makes people live in fear and jeopardy. Prevention programs aim to enhance the security of homes, towns and even neighbourhoods. Chelan County Prevention Program has witnessed high security of its neighborhood. This program installed a ‘Block Watch System’ to enhance the safety of their neighborhoods. The police department worked closely with its residents to ensure that any sign of criminal or unusual activity was reported. The neighbours knew each other thus increasing the cohesion of their neighbourhoods. Security is one of the most necessary human needs. Block watch ensured that neighbours watched over each other property and reported the matter to the police department. In Birmingham, thirteen out of fifteen neighbourhoods that witnessed increased burglary experienced almost zero incidences. Lakewood and Cypress experienced 77% and 52% drop in burglary incidences (Chelan County, 2017).
Prevention programs have witnessed amazing results in addressing social justices of communities. They strive to increase public safety, create a safe social environment, and promote public education, among others. This has led to increased safety in neighbourhoods, reduced homicide cases and violent incidences. Therefore, it is plausible that the state of California should adopt a crime prevention program that will see it reduce its crime rate. SARA model is a great option as it includes a collaborative effort with the local community to enhance public safety and community cohesion.
Effectiveness of crime prevention programs
Crime prevention programs have witnessed significant results in reducing overall criminal activities within towns and increasing public safety. Their effectiveness has been mainly linked to their collaboration with local communities. This has enhanced cohesion and togetherness between the police force and the community. These programs have been able to identify major issues that lead to the increasing crime rates. This has been possible through their joint efforts with the community. Also, they have also provided public education to the communities on ways to prevent crime and reporting suspicious activities to the police department. The Block Watch system is a good example of enhancing cohesion with the affected community.
Reduction in crimes is another effectiveness of crime prevention programs. Many cities that have incorporated these programs have witnessed significant steps in reducing criminal and violent activities. This has also enabled some cities such as Cypress in California to save more than $79,000 in the police department (Chelan County, 2017). Therefore, such results enhance the incorporation of prevention programs in crime-prone areas. Boston noticed 63% reduction in homicide cases thus revealing the effectiveness of any crime prevention program which is implemented correctly. This has transformed many cities around the United States creating a safer and secure environment for all American citizens.
Crime prevention programs are cost-effective in their approach thus providing incredible results. There are two ways in which these programs can reduce the cost related to crime. Firstly, the functional costs of the criminal justice system will be significantly low given the low rate of crime. This enables such departments to save more cost and use it effectively in enhancing public safety. This will also, in turn, reduce the national budget thus saving a lot of costs to the taxpayers. Secondly, the costs incurred by the victims will be reduced. Victims of crime face certain cost problems such as costly fines. Therefore, with reduced crime and safer communities, there will be fewer victims related to crime. The costs saved in such programs are channelled into welfare programs and special education which are noted to have better returns.
Recommendations on Funding Strategies
Funding for crime prevention programs is very crucial as it sets out the various projects required to reduce crime. Seeking for grants and financial support from various sources requires effort. To enhance the process of getting funds quickly, demonstrating the need for the program coupled with strong evidence will increase the chances of getting funding. This is because the implementation of crime prevention program solely relies on available funds. This makes it easier to start the program and monitor it to completion.
Also, approaching criminally related agencies increase the chances of getting funding. These organizations believe that crime prevention programs increase security and safety awareness in the community. Therefore, this gives the program an upper hand as it advocates for the same mission on enhancing public safety. The local government is also another resource that funds such programs which leverage the work of state police. There are high chances that the administration will fund such projects especially backed with evidence and increasing need for security. Not-for-profit organizations are normally involved in funding community projects which also includes crime prevention programs. Therefore, developing a strong proposal increases the chances of getting funding from these organizations.
Conclusion
In conclusion, crime prevention programs are undoubtedly one of the best ways to curb criminal activities. A lot of cities and states in America are experiencing high crime rates thus affecting the quality of life of US citizens. The State of California has a well defined criminal system which aims to provide public safety to all of its residents. In this light, it has defined criminal activities, criminal sentencing laws and allocating appropriate punishments to the crime perpetrators. The jurisdiction of California’s criminal system involves with arresting criminals who have committed crimes, leading them to prosecution in a trial court and finally, taking them to detention and correction agencies to serve their sentences. Current trends in three cities in California, Sacramento, Long Beach and Fresno, reveal a high crime rate. This has prompted to this proposal which advocates for crime prevention programs. Crime prevention programs such as SARA model, Crime Analysis Triangle and Block Watch has reflected significant results in reducing crime rates. To achieve low crime rate in California, the state needs to adopt a crime prevention program. These programs have been noted to address social justices of communities by enhancing cohesion within communities, good relationships with security agencies and secure environment for people. Funding has enabled these programs to effectively implement projects such as community partnerships and special education. Therefore, California should incorporate effective crime prevention program such as SARA model for the sake of public safety.
References
Areavibes. (2017). Fresno, CA Crime . Retrieved Online, October 23, 2017, www.areavibes.com/fresno-ca/crime/&grqid=LRP327zw&hl
Areavibes. (2017). Long Beach, CA Crime . Retrieved Online, October 23, 2017, www.areavibes.com/long+beach-ca/crime
Areavibes. (2017). Sacramento, CA Crime . Retrieved Online, October 23, 2017, www.areavibes.com/sacramento-ca/crime/&grqid=1rddVVPj&hl
Chelan County. (2017). Crime Prevention . Retrieved Online, October 23, 2017, www.co.chelan.wa.us/sheriff/pages/crime-prevention%3Fparent%3DEducation%2520and%2520Outreach&hl
CityRating. (2017). California crime statistics and rates report (CA) . Retrieved Online, October 23, 2017, www.cityrating.com/crime-statistics/&grqid=MUZbVm5N7hl
Weisburd, D., Telep, C.W., Hickle, JC., & Eck, JE. (2008). The effects of problem-oriented policing on crime and disorder . Campbell Systematic Reviews.
