| Introduction | | | | have no room to have fresh start because most of |
| The criminal justice system is evolving with time. | | | | them lack public goodwill. What this does is that it |
| Gone are the days when it simply focused on long | | | | encourages them to continue with a life of crime |
| prison sentences as the only way to deal with crime. | | | | because they feel that society is already biased |
| Public opinion is changing and so should the criminal | | | | towards them. One can therefore conclude that the |
| justice system. There is more emphasis on attacking | | | | criminal justice system has not been very effective in |
| underlying causes and not just surface issues. More | | | | the process of dealing with future crime incidences. |
| and more experts agree that crime prevention is the | | | | Crime prevention is the only alternative to this |
| way to go in this situation. They assert that prison | | | | endless cycle of crime. (Oxford Handbook of |
| sentences, especially for non-violent offenders, only | | | | Criminology, p13, 2003) |
| deal with the problem temporarily. They also believe | | | | Nipping crime at the bud |
| that crime prevention should be the centrepiece of | | | | Many experts have argued that crime prevention will |
| the criminal justice system. (Pfeiffer, p 55, 2003) | | | | be more successful since most hard core criminals |
| Crime prevention should be the focus of the criminal | | | | started out as youthful vandals who were shown the |
| justice system because it has overwhelming public | | | | right direction. Some people have argued that the |
| support | | | | countries that have implemented crime prevention |
| A Research conducted by the Heart Research | | | | strategies have been very effective in crime |
| Associates Inc. on the perception of the public on | | | | stoppage. A case in point is the battle against alcohol |
| crime prevention found that majority of the people | | | | and drug abuse in Sweden. The campaign was |
| believed in a more pro-active rather than reactive | | | | started by psychologist and criminologist Nils Bejerot. |
| approach. This research was conducted in the year | | | | He believed that the drug control system used in |
| 2002. But ten years ago, when the public was asked | | | | Sweden before his reforms was quite inadequate. He |
| about what they thought about crime prevention, | | | | asserted that if the new carriers of the drug taking |
| 42% said the criminal justice system should focus on | | | | habit were dealt with before hand, then there would |
| punitive action while 48% supported crime | | | | be chances of preventing them from becoming |
| prevention. These statistics have changed drastically | | | | ambassadors for the drug taking problem. He |
| with time. In 2002, when a similar research was | | | | conducted an experiment in the year 1965 at |
| conducted by the same research company, it was | | | | Stockholm. |
| found that 65% of the public believe in dealing with | | | | This psychiatrist suggested that those who had been |
| root causes while 32% wanted more severe | | | | caught by police using small amounts of drugs should |
| measures to take precedence in the criminal justice | | | | be placed in treatment program that is mandatory in |
| system. The survey also indicated the following | | | | nature. This would go along way in ensuring that all |
| preferences. | | | | the future cases of drug dealing were taken care of. |
| Prevention | | | | In line with the program, local authorities should |
| 39-Yes | | | | conduct follow ups to ensure that those particular |
| 37-No | | | | candidates stay committed to the prevention |
| Punishment | | | | program. This has gone along way in eliminating drug |
| 21-Yes | | | | abuse cases in Sweden. Statistics testify to the |
| 20-No | | | | effectiveness of this strategy. In Sweden only one in |
| Enforcement | | | | 1,400 may be imprisoned for possession of illegal |
| 18-Yes | | | | drugs. This is such an achievement given the fcat |
| 19-No | | | | that other countries like the United States arrest |
| Rehabilitation | | | | about one in very 136 people or the possession of |
| 17-Yes | | | | illegal drugs. It was also found that due to crime |
| 17-No | | | | prevention in Sweden, there are much fewer |
| Source; Peter D. Hart Research Associates, Inc | | | | chances of getting students with drugs in comparison |
| (2002): Changing Public Attitudes towardthe Criminal | | | | to the seventies. Statistics have also shown that in |
| Justice System; Journal for Open Society Institute | | | | Sweden there are less chances of drug abuse in the |
| Crime prevention deals with root causes | | | | entire continent of Europe. This also applies to cases |
| It should be noted that most of the time, there are | | | | of drug abuse recently and five years ago. Their |
| cases in which people break the law because they | | | | crime prevention strategy has received more |
| have no where else to turn to. Such people normally | | | | enforcement from the criminal justice system over |
| come from deteriorating neighbourhoods. They feel | | | | the past years ago and this corresponds to less |
| that there is not much that can be done about their | | | | cases. Sweden does not apply its drug policy to new |
| situation and they opt to choose crime as their only | | | | offenders only, it also has a follow up program for |
| means for survival. Most of these criminals normally | | | | convicted offenders. |
| have very low educational backgrounds. | | | | Accidents that occur due to alcohol abuse or drunk |
| Consequently, their options in the formal employment | | | | driving are quite common in countries that have not |
| sector are quite limited. They need to earn a source | | | | implemented certain crime prevention strategies. Local |
| of livelihood and still have to meet their daily needs. | | | | authorities should go out of their way to ensure that |
| However, the public only offers them temporary jobs | | | | crimes resulting from alcohol intake are eliminated. |
| that do not pay as much. Some individuals may feel | | | | This can be achieved by introduction of |
| the need to deal with this lack of necessities through | | | | breath-testers. Drivers who exceed allowable limits |
| crime. Overly, the underlying problem is education, if | | | | should be prevented from driving by placing them |
| the government was to invest in education of such | | | | into rehabilitation centres. Such a proactive approach |
| criminals then there would be no need to commit | | | | will ensure that there will be limited cases in the |
| crimes and all the other issues will fall into place. | | | | future. (Cox & Wade, p 105, 1998) |
| (Maguire, p 207-265, 2000) | | | | Gang violence can also be prevented through the use |
| Most criminals commit their crimes because their | | | | of the overall community. The police can work hand |
| neighbourhoods make it easy for them to do so. In | | | | in hand with local residents to monitor the activities |
| most Cities, there are certain localities that have been | | | | of these gangs and these collaborative efforts will |
| ignored by the governing authorities of the day to | | | | help police during the prevention of such kinds of |
| such an extent that their buildings and other | | | | offences. |
| infrastructural facilities are simply deplorable. It is | | | | There should be more emphasis on the youth in |
| therefore easier for criminals to break into such | | | | order to ensure that future crimes are not |
| systems and take what they would want without to | | | | committed. Crime prevention efforts need to be |
| much struggle. If some investments had been made | | | | directed to the youth because they account for |
| into those neighbourhoods, then there would be | | | | about twenty percent of all the cases reported to |
| better facilities and better security for its residents | | | | the police. It was also found that those who |
| thus discouraging crime. | | | | happened to be caught once were less likely to get |
| Certain criminals do not have a sense of moral values. | | | | caught again. However, there are cases of persistent |
| Their environment has served a fertile ground for | | | | offenders that would be arrested more than once. A |
| moral deterioration. They see no benefit in caring | | | | research conducted among these repeat offenders |
| about what other people around them may feel as a | | | | found that there were certain characteristics |
| result of their actions. Consequently, most of these | | | | common to most of these offenders. They are as |
| criminals end up committing their crimes because they | | | | follows; |
| do not know what is expected from them form | | | | - aggressiveness and anger |
| society. Crime prevention as a strategy for crime | | | | - impulsiveness |
| prevention could deal with this by targeting youth | | | | - alcohol and drug abuse |
| offenders. Most of them could be placed in | | | | - anti-social peer pressure |
| community prevention centres where they could go | | | | - no vocational skills |
| taught a number of societal norms. (Kenney, p23, | | | | - lack of parental supervision(Sherman, p 54, 1997) |
| 1998) | | | | The research also identified the fact that these |
| Many of the neighbourhoods that some of these | | | | behavioural traits could be prevented by a strategy |
| youth come from are usually associated wit low | | | | called early intervention. Most of these youth had |
| levels of family support. Some offenders may be | | | | potential o become worse but with the right |
| tempted to commit crimes because they feel that | | | | approach more could be done to ensure that this did |
| they have nothing to loose. They do not feel loved | | | | not continue again. Crime prevention among the |
| and cared for and consequently have low self | | | | youth can be made in such a way that there are |
| esteem. According to them, crime is a way of letting | | | | coordinated efforts towards dealing with youth |
| out some of their pent up anger and frustrations. It | | | | offenders. First of all, there can be creation of bodies |
| should be possible to prevent crimes of this nature if | | | | to coordinate work done towards these efforts. On |
| youth were targeted. The reason why it is useful to | | | | top of this, there should be greater involvement of |
| target the youth is because they are not yet that | | | | other stakeholders. The police should cooperate with |
| far gone; they are still at a point when they can be | | | | the departments of children and youth affairs. |
| moulded and transformed. At their age, they have | | | | Early intervention needs to be conducted in cases |
| not hardened already. Such youth can be taught | | | | where families seem particularly vulnerable to future |
| fundamental truths in and their psychological problems | | | | crimes. Such families are normally characterised by |
| can be addressed adequately in community centres. | | | | the traits that were listed above. These are efforts |
| Since the issue of employment contributes to many | | | | that can be conducted by the policing unit in |
| criminal cases, crime prevention strategies can deal | | | | conjunction with other local authorities. However, |
| with that issue and eliminate the need to commit | | | | there may be instances when some youth are at |
| crimes due to that reason. This can be achieved | | | | higher risks than others. Those at higher risks need |
| through the process of instilling potential offenders | | | | to be placed under closer and more severe programs. |
| with job skills. Consequently, such people will have no | | | | Prevention of crime needs to be done through the |
| need to result to crime as a means of earning a living | | | | involvement of families too. In case youth offenders |
| since they have other alternatives available | | | | have been caught, their family members need to be |
| Failure in past approaches | | | | consulted on what they feel could be the best |
| Crime prevention should take precedence within the | | | | methods to use when tackling their child. This can be |
| criminal justice system because the punitive approach | | | | achieved through the conduction of conferences that |
| has failed. Most psychologists argue that when | | | | involve law enforcement officers, social workers and |
| criminals are simply arrested and taken into prisons | | | | the parents. This will help in unveiling some of the |
| for a certain period of time, they may not feel the | | | | underlying problems and will also help in the |
| need to reform. They actually claim that this serves | | | | customisation of solutions to suite specific cases. |
| to reinforce certain criminal activities. This is because | | | | (Sherman, p 54, 1997) |
| they get to interact with fellow criminal and even | | | | Conclusion |
| learn more tricks to the trade and by the time they | | | | Crime prevention should take the greatest |
| leave their prison cells, they are worse of than when | | | | precedence in the criminal justice system because it |
| they came in. What this means is that the criminal | | | | has overwhelming public support. A survey asking |
| justice system is just going around in circles; criminals | | | | people what the law enforcement authorities need to |
| commit crimes, stay in prison, then go back to where | | | | prioritise indicated that there was a need to place |
| they started from. When criminals go back to their | | | | more emphasis on crime prevention rather than other |
| neighbourhood, the very reason why they committed | | | | strategies. The second reason why crime prevention |
| their crimes in the first place still exists. They will still | | | | should take up priority in the criminal justice system is |
| be faced with family problems, lack of employment | | | | the fact that most crimes are committed as a result |
| and other social evils. These circumstances will propel | | | | of certain social problems. Crime prevention identifies |
| them into crime and they will end up going back to | | | | those problems and deals with them thereby |
| prison. This is the reason why drug related cases still | | | | eliminating future cases of crime. It should also be |
| continue. Psychologists believe that criminals perform | | | | noted that past systems have not been effective in |
| criminal behaviour because of these social pressures | | | | the criminal justice system. They have only enforced |
| and they need to be addressed if the criminal justice | | | | criminal behaviour; crime prevention is a better |
| system hopes to be effective in the future. The | | | | approach because it tackles the problem from the |
| ultimate solution would therefore be crime prevention. | | | | inside out. Lastly, countries that have prioritised crime |
| (Austin, p 34, 2001) | | | | prevention have shown statistically, that this is an |
| Crime prevention would be quite favourable in drug | | | | effective method; their crime rates have reduced. |
| related cases instead of punitive actions. For | | | | With all this backing, crime prevention should be made |
| example, those caught should be placed in mandatory | | | | top priority. |
| drug treatment centres. They could also be | | | | References |
| subjected to community service instead of locking | | | | Austin, J. (2001): Sentencing Guidelines: A State |
| them up in prison cells. There was some sort of | | | | Perspective; Ph.D., Executive Vice-President, journal |
| disparity in the way the criminal justice system has | | | | for the National Council on Crime & Delinquency, |
| been handling perpetrators. A person who has | | | | Vol. 3, No. 8, p 34 |
| committed a burglary and another who has been | | | | Cox, S. & Wade, J. (1998): The Criminal Justice |
| caught using drugs are given more or less the same | | | | Network: An Introduction; New York: McGraw-Hill, p |
| treatment through prison sentencing. This is not a fair | | | | 105 |
| or effective way of going about the crime problem. | | | | Kenney, D. (1998): Crime in the Schools: A |
| It should also be noted that there may be certain | | | | Problem-Solving Approach. Police Executive |
| individuals who lack the ability to move on with their | | | | Research Forum Journal, Vol. 8, No. 13, pp. 23 |
| lives because the way the criminal justice system has | | | | Maguire, E. (2000): Have Changes in Policing Reduced |
| been in the past is that it condemns and segregates | | | | Violent Crime? Cambridge University Press, New |
| offenders. For expel, when one has been convicted | | | | York, 2000. pp. 207-265 |
| to serve a prison term and they complete their term, | | | | Oxford Handbook of Criminology (2003); Oxford |
| they not allowed to drive a car even if they have a | | | | University Press, p 13 |
| driving licence. Besides this, they are not allowed to | | | | Pfeiffer, C. (2003): Trends in Juvenile Violence in |
| own houses or get certain jobs. What this does is | | | | European Countries; McMillan Publishers, p. 55 |
| that it frustrates them the more. Such individuals | | | | Sherman, L. |