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CRIME CONTROL.
Term Paper ID:30491
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Essay Subject:
Examines how to reduce crime in the U.S. and improve the quality of life.... More...
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12 Pages / 2700 Words
11 sources, 27 Citations,
APA Format
$48.00
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Paper Abstract:
Examines how to reduce crime in the U.S. and improve the quality of life. Cites social costs in terms of ecnomics. Crime statistics. Selected types of crime activity in poor urban areas. Problems of gangs and drugs. Assessment of crime prevention programs; ones that work. Issue of funding for community policing.
Paper Introduction:
Crime Control and Justice in the United States: A Forecast
Crime is seen as having profound effects on the quality of life in the United States, and as imposing social costs that reach as much as $1 trillion per year (Ludwig, Duncan, & Hirschfield, 2001). Crime statistics indicate that selected types of crime in specific geographic locales have been declining, but according to Stephens (2001), crime and crime control continue to occupy a central position on the American social and political agenda. This report will examine the ways in which the national crime control efforts and the administration of justice are likely to evolve and change over the course of the next 50 years. It will be argued that a combination of what Stephens (2001) calls “proactive policing” and the deployment of sophisticated electronic technologies to pre
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How federal prosecutors can reduce crime. Richardson, G. The smart card,which is issued to each program participant, must be carried at all times.The smart card has an imbedded computer chip linked to a central data bankthat will allow county officials to track drug offenders. For too long, the various law enforcement agencies in the UnitedStates have worked at odds with one another, at times struggling for turfrather than working together to prevent crime or intervene in criminalactivity. In order to address such concerns, itwill be necessary to introduce a new element into the core work of astate's correctional system. In Indianapolis, a coalition group of FBI agents,police department detectives, and prosecutors used electronic surveillancetechnology to track money flows used by gangs and to identify potentialcriminal activities before they occurred. This is one excellentexample of how technology will become more and more important in shapingthe activities of law enforcement and criminal justice agencies in thefuture. (1999). This strategy also requires a high level ofcooperation and agreement between law enforcement officials, prosecutors,defense attorneys, and the courts. These, then, are the kinds of changes that are likely to take place inthe next 5 years with respect to the national crime control andadministration of justice effort. Particularly troubling to many in the criminal justice system is theapparent concentration of selected crimes in urban enclaves generallypopulated by the most poor (and therefore most vulnerable) Americans, manyof whom are members of racial or ethnic minority groups. Up to 3 different service agencies and other providerorganizations will be included in the tracking system. Moore, R., & Young, C. Specifically, in the future,prosecutors are expected to take a much more proactive stance regardingdetermining alternatives to incarceration, assisting in police work, andfacilitating community alternatives to incarceration. Stephens (1999) also believes that scarce resources will demand thatthe criminal justice system and policymakers focus on what is known to workin terms of preventing crime. In this context, the Federal Bureau ofInvestigation (FBI) has developed an electronic surveillance system knownas "Carnivore" that is capable of tracking the e-mail communications andactivities of suspected or known criminals, Information gained in thismanner can help investigators build cases against suspected felons, warn ofimpending national security problems, and otherwise monitor potentiallyillegal activities. ThePublic Interest, 136, 85-9 . Proactive policing: The key to successful crimeprevention and control. Restorative justice seeks to heal the injuries resulting fromcrimes through the active participation of correctional institutions, crimevictims, offenders and the community. Stephens, G. Finally, such a shift mandates that communities allocate asubstantial amount of funding for drug treatment and testing. These efforts appear to be quietlytransforming America into an efficient, effective crime preventing andcontrolling society. While it ispossible that the costs for such testing and treatment will besubstantially less than the costs of prolonged incarceration, the strategyis not inexpensive and requires a major commitment in terms of technology,staffing, and services (Cooperation, commitment boost..., 2 1). In discussing restorative justice, Stephens (2 1) states that eventhe best proactive efforts of a community and the police will not be enoughto prevent crime in all situations. Greg Richardson (1997) highlighted one major shift in the field thathe believes likely to continue into the foreseeable future: restorativejustice. Allender (2 1) maintains that one of the major changes that willoccur in the national crime control effort over the next 5 years is theemergence of a higher level of cooperative and collaborative inter-agencyactivity. Cooperation, commitment, boost Proposition 36 implementation. Crime statisticsindicate that selected types of crime in specific geographic locales havebeen declining, but according to Stephens (2 1), crime and crime controlcontinue to occupy a central position on the American social and politicalagenda. Moore and Young (2 ) described the effort undertaken in the state ofWashington to introduce restorative justice via the Offender AccountabilityAct (OAA). To that end, more than1, alternative dispute resolution programs have been created to handlecriminal as well as civil complaints. In California, Proposition 36 introduced astatewide drug diversion program mandated by a November 2 ballotinitiative (Cooperation, commitment boost..., 2 1). What is needed is a system of policy-based restorative justice mechanisms that encompass a "return to thefuture" idea. Stephens (2 1) states that one of the key strategies that will beemployed to control crime in the future is practice policing in whichpolice aggressively conduct needs analyses and work with citizens andsocial service groups to contain crime-breeding practices and situations.The major change linked to reduced crime in the 199 s - a change expectedto continue into the future - is the citizen response to crime, spearheadedby community action. Closer relationships between lawenforcement agencies, the community and the courts, and service providersand offenders are envisioned as part of this future. However, in an era of heightened concern regardingnational security and the prevention of terrorism, it is possible thatfunding which would otherwise have been challenged into community policingmay be diverted to other law enforcement efforts and programs. Wilson in the 196 s, the "weedand seed" movement has been enormously successful in a number of urbancommunities that historically experienced high levels of street crime suchas robbery, assault, drug sales, and burglary. The monitoring of cellular phonecommunications facilitated the arrest of a number of gang members. The new electronictechnologies will play an increasingly significant role in this process,ensuring greater accountability on the part of offenders and easier accessto information on behalf of the justice system. Quarterly Journal of Economics,116(2), 655-67 . Under the OAA, offenders subject to supervision after releasewill be sentenced to terms of community custody subject to conditions setby both their counties and the Department of Corrections (DOC). Galzer (1999) contends that a new collaborative effort is clearlyneeded to ensure that the wealth of information on criminals and theiractivities that individual law enforcement agencies possess is shard amongall such agencies. Mandatory treatment for drug users is seen by the Californiapolicymakers as a much more rational response to the problem of escalatingdrug use than incarceration. A majority of the nation's police agencies aspire tobe model community-oriented police (COP) operations. Corrections Today, 62(1), 6 -62. Stephens (2 1) believes that a reduction in the number of cases thatare brought to the courts and extension of alternative dispute resolutionmechanisms will be a key element in the future. The firstpriority is thus to help victims; the second priority is to restorecommunity to the degree possible. (1999). Under existing weed and seedefforts, drug addicts and distributors have been singled out for harshtreatment; by 1999, some two-thirds of all federal prison inmates and 25percent of all state prisoners were serving time for drug charges."Seeding" seems, says Stephens (1999), to be one of the crime preventionstrategies that is most likely to be employed over the foreseeable future,while "weeding" by placing more and more drug users and distributors inprison may be reconsidered as costs of incarceration soar. James Turpin (1999) described efforts to renew the 1994 Crime Bill,the vehicle that funds and governs the majority of criminal justiceprograms in the United States. Smart card used to track Prop. The Internet itself is vulnerable to manipulation as amedium of criminal activity. Community and risk mitigation are keyelements of the OAA. References Allender, D. The public generally wants safety from violent crime,offender accountability, repair of damage, treatment for offendersfacilitating safe release from incarceration, and the involvement of thepublic and the victim in the decision-making process (Moore & Young, 2 ). Crime Control and Justice in the United States: A Forecast Crime is seen as having profound effects on the quality of life inthe United States, and as imposing social costs that reach as much as $1trillion per year (Ludwig, Duncan, & Hirschfield, 2 1). Policemonitor the juvenile's progress through regular contact, thus providingneeded oversight during a critical stage of the adolescent's development. 36 drug offenders. The task now confronting the field, according to Stephens (2 1), isto find ways to create the community cohesiveness and public-privatepartnerships that are needed to provide safety and security, while makinguse of high-tech innovation. CorrectionsToday, 61(4), 22-23. J., & Hirschfield, P. Streetcrime dropped to historically low levels by the end of the 199 s, largelybecause there were more police on the streets and tougher laws. Ludwig, J., Duncan, G. In San Joaquin County, California, the Proposition 36 initiative foraddicted offenders incorporates smart card technology. What does not "work," says Stephens (1999), are gun buy-backefforts, substance abuse counseling, short-term job training and placementfor youthful offenders or at-risk youth, correctional "boot camps," homedetention with electronic monitoring, or intensive supervision onprobation. (2 ). Violent urban crime, including theemergence of criminal gangs that actively recruit juveniles and engage inactivities related to the sale, use and distribution of illicit drugs, is amajor cause for concern today; it is likely to remain troubling over thecourse of the next 5 or so years (Ludwig, et al, 2 1). Galzer, E. One key area in which national crime control and justiceadministration is likely to change focuses upon the ways in which drugoffenders are treated. This report will examine the ways in which the national crimecontrol efforts and the administration of justice are likely to evolve andchange over the course of the next 5 years. To achieve this, an offender must accepthis or her responsibilities to the victim and the community, while thecommunity has responsibility to reclaim and reconcile with the offender asthe debt is paid. (2 1). Washington's OffenderAccountability Act. These elements are not uniformly found within the core work of mostcorrectional agencies or courts. The program was adopted because of a growing concern amongWashington legislators that continued reliance on incarceration aspunishment is an expensive response to crime. The smart cardtechnology is seen as providing a cost effective bridge between multipleservice providers, multiple payers, their various information systems, andthe justice system (Smart card used..., 2 1). USA Today, 129(2672), 32-34. The philosophical principles underlying restorative justicehold that crime is an offense against human relationships - and againstindividuals and the community - and not against governments. Technology will play an important role in the Proposition 36 strategy. This program requiresdrug treatment services as an alternative to incarceration for all first-time and second-time nonviolent drug possession offenders. ThoughStephens (2 1) notes that the efficacy of such methods (and theirlegality) may be as yet not fully understood, the new information andcommunication technologies that are proliferating will undoubtedly be ofuse to law enforcement and criminal justice system personnel. (1997). Corrections Today, 59(7), 2 . National computerized databases and national forensiclaboratories will undoubtedly work to develop new relationships thatcapitalize upon their resources and more effectively contain criminalactivity. (2 1). It will be argued that acombination of what Stephens (2 1) calls "proactive policing" and thedeployment of sophisticated electronic technologies to prevent crime andidentify lawbreakers will be employed to effect a further reduction incrime and an improvement in the quality of life in the United States. Dispute resolution at the community rather than thecourt level is integral to this approach, which has the potential whenfully developed to reduce prison overcrowding and the costs of prosecutionwhile redeeming non-violent offenders and returning them to a crime-freeand productive life. B. Alcoholism& Drug Abuse Weekly, 13(36), 7. Other technologies that are likely to be further exploited and refinedin the crime control and criminal justice area include DNA identification,birth-to-death dossiers, and chemical implants to control behavior. (2 1). Crime bill 2 : The debate begins. Stephens, G. The problemwith advanced surveillance and monitoring activities is that while they canidentify (and potentially control) the likely-to-offend individual, theymay pose a high price vis-à-vis traditional values such as privacy andfreedom of expression and movement. (2 1). Weed andseed efforts in a number of different cities were described by Allender(2 1) as particularly effective in breaking up criminal gangs. Safe Streets Task Force. Restorative justice: Framework for thefuture of corrections. The FBI LawEnforcement Bulletin, 7 (3), 1-4. Gene Stephens (1999) reported that careful assessment of crime-prevention programs are revealing what works and what does not work. (2 1). Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly, 13(34), 1. Among thelaws that have impacted crime are the "get tough" sentencing strategies,including the "three strikes and you're out" method of keeping habitualoffenders off the streets. Preventing crime: The promising road ahead.The Futurist, 33(9), 29-36. Termswill apply to offenders convicted of any crime against a person, as well asviolent, sex, drug, and other specified crimes committed after July 1,2 . Turpin, J. What has worked in reducing crime, according to Stephens (1999), isthe "weed and seed" method of removing criminals from the streets and"seeding" crime-ridden communities with the kinds of institutional supportsystems needed to assist residents in keeping their neighborhoods crimefree. (1999). It is likely that these efforts will continueover time, particularly because they are perceived by members of thecriminal justice and political systems as effective crime reductionstrategies. More than simply an approved menu ofprogram, restorative justice results in public policy approaches andpractices that grow out of basic values, reflect underlying principles andfit within a concise theoretical framework. Criminal activityin these communities may be "contagious" because the social penalties forcommitting crimes or the probability of arrest may be lower than in otherneighborhoods (Ludwig, et al, 2 1). Moore and Young (2 ) have projected thatthe model provided by Washington may well be replicated elsewhere becauseit offers a partial solution to the problem of overcrowding in prisons andescalating incarceration costs. Urban poverty and juvenile crime. Stephens (1999; 2 1) also believes that new technologies will beextremely useful in this effort, but insists that a more traditional "weedand seed" crime prevention strategy is still vitally important. Supervision in the community using all available tools, includingelectronic surveillance and treatment, is seen as mitigating the risk ofrecidivism by convicted criminals. It is likely that renewed efforts to regulateand control this medium will be forthcoming, particularly in the wake ofthe September 11th attacks on the United States. Galzer (1999) also sees a new role for federal, state, and localprosecutors in this collaborative process. What "works" includes a range of programsfrom social work directed at strengthening families and communities toschool-based character education and life-skills training, ex-offender jobtraining for older males to reduce recidivism, nuisance suits againstlandlords for failing to address drug problems in the premises, extrapolice patrols in high-crime "hot spots," monitoring repeat offenders withspecial units, and incarcerating hard-core violent offenders for longerperiods. These alternativemechanisms include "Community Adjustment Reports (CARs)" that are used forselected juvenile offenses of a non-violent nature; youthful arrestees are"adjudicated" at the station house in a formal hearing, and returned toparental custody with mandatory participation in one of several differentcounseling and/or intervention programs available in the community. Activities suchas school classes or job training programs, medical appointments,counseling sessions, and treatment appointments can all be tracked via thesmart card. It also requires that all participantsin the law enforcement and criminal justice systems agree that treatment isimportant for first-time and second-time nonviolent drug possessionoffenders. A. Integral to the reauthorization effort wasattention to an enhanced police presence in the most crime-riddenneighborhoods, as well as additional funding to support this enhancedpolice presence. Proposed by criminologist James Q. Individualsinvolved in the distribution or sale of drugs are not allowed toparticipate in the program as are offenders with a prior conviction for aserious or violent felony unless they have remained crime-free for a periodof at least five years. Such gangsare involved in activities ranging from drug dealing to armed robbery,burglary, and murder. D.
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