What steps should be taken to reduce crime?

Answer 1

Start younger than we do.... As we all can see, the time out method of disipline... does not work!!! Teach right and wrong and show that for every time you screw up, there's a price to pay. As a whole we have gotten far to soft in the manner of which we take care of things.

If it were me to make changes, the first thing I'd do is take down every sign that says.. This highway is being cleaned by.... (insert company or group name here). I'd put up a sign saying ... this stretch of road being maintained by (insert county name here) inmates. Have the inmates out there on the freeway with push mowers and weedwackers...taking care of it and picking up all the trash.

drunk drivers... 1st time, loss of driving privlages for a year... 2nd... jail for a year... 3rd. life!

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

If you consider the situation of the discipline of a child, whether you've actually been a parent or not, you understand the key is not the severity of punishment, but the swiftness and certainty. There's no reason the same would not apply to adult criminals.

To have that swiftness and certainty, we have to reduce the overcrowding in prisons and courts, and reduce the workload on law enforcement. To do that, we have to eliminate all of the non-violent drug laws.

This would mean prosecutors would be less pressured to take plea bargains, and would have less difficulty meeting the requirements to get the offender a "speedy trial".

We also need to re-think the whole concept of what life as a prisoner is like. Prisons need to be as self-supporting as possible. They can grow their own food, and they don't need television. They should be put on a 40 hour workweek like anyone outside, and be encouraged to pursue an education outside that time.

Answer 4

Raise people's education level. Increase youths activities program. Legalize drugs, and institute other punishment to drug users such as deny health coverage and well fare benifits to users. Taxes on drugs could be used to educate people and fund program that would ultimately reduce drug usage. Society should be the ultimate deterrent for drug usage, not the government. Considering that drug usage is the leading cause for crime, if we reduce or control this then crime should reduce. A good example is Amsterdam.

Answer 5

*It's long but well worth the read*

While we don't like to talk about it - or even think about it - crime is on the increase in America, and throughout the world. The number of burglars, muggers, auto thieves, robbers, purse snatchers, rapist, etc. is growing at an alarming rate. Now you, as a resident, working with neighbors can help reduce the crime rate.

How? By organizing and/or joining a neighborhood program in which you and your neighbors get together to learn how to protect yourselves, your families, your homes, and your property. Working together, you can get the criminals off your block and out of your area.

There's safety in numbers and power through working with a group. You'll get to know your neighbors better, and working with them you can reduce crime, develop a more united community, provide an avenue of communications between police and citizens, establish on-going crime prevention techniques in your neighborhood, and renew citizen interest in community activity.

"Citizen Safety Projects" are set up to help you do this. It is a joint effort between private citizens and local police. Such programs have been started all over the country. Maybe one already exists in your community.

These organizations don't require frequent meetings (once a month or so). They don't ask anyone to take personal risks to prevent crime. They leave the responsibility for catching criminals where it belongs-with the police. This is NOT a "vigilante group"!

These groups gather citizens together to learn crime prevention from local authorities. You cooperate with your neighbors to report suspicious activities in the neighborhood, to keep an eye on homes when the resident is away, and to keep everyone in the area mindful of the standard precautions for property and self that should always be taken. Criminals avoid neighborhoods where such groups exist.

Through cooperation with local law enforcement agencies, some of the things you will learn-and all free-are:

1. What to do in an emergency.
2. How to best identify a suspicious person.
3. How to identify a vehicle being used in a suspected criminal activity.
4. Signs to watch out for before entering a house or apartment that may be in the process of being burglarized.
5. What to do in case of injury.
6. What to do about suspicious people loitering on your street.
7. How to identify stolen merchandise.
8. How to recognize an auto theft in progress.
9. How to protect your house or apartment.
10. How to recognize a burglary in progress.
11. How to protect yourself and your family ...and much more.

It's easy to get your group started. All you have to do is contact your neighbors and arrange a date, place and time for the first meeting. Hold the meetings at your home or that of a neighbor. Try to plan a time that is convenient to most of your neighbors-preferably in the evening.

Then call your local police department. They will be happy to give your group informal lectures, free literature-and in many instances, window stickers and ID cards.

Remember: Officers can't be everywhere. Your cooperation with them is for the benefit of you, your family, and your neighborhood.

Be Safe... Stay Safe!

Carl Ellis, owner - THE GUARDIAN COMPANY
"Where You Go When You Gotta Know!"

Answer 6

Reconsider the definition of crime.

For instance: selling / smoking / possessing marijuana. This is currently considered a crime. But it is more often than not a victimless crime. If these acts were not illegal, then a whole slew of other crimes would be reduced.

Answer 7

Make an example and kill them and no more free rides for the prisons and no more perks for the crime,,,,,,,

Answer 8

Enforce the law and streamline the justice system.

-limited appeals
-enforce the death penalty
-charge people to the fullest extent
-limited plea bargaining

Answer 9

Legalize crimes that are non-violent like posession of marijuana.