You have now learned about all three methods of crime prevention: (i) primary, (ii) secondary and (i

An increase in community-based policing practices is an excellent method to crime prevention. This principle operates by bringing members of the community together to develop solutions to the problems faced in their area. In doing so, it becomes possible to more specifically target the causes of crime, while bringing members of the community together in a manner that provides support for crime prevention practices. Rather than targeting an individual before they are about to commit a crime, community-based policing allows crime prevention to occur before many individuals are exposed to the risk factors that will increase their likelihood of becoming involved in crime.

Community based policing was developed after a series of reports were released across the country that indicated that alternative tactics, such as stop-and frisk, were not as effective as they were once thought to be. Studies have shown that stop-and-frisk is more likely to result in the stopping of innocent individuals than the stopping of criminals (Brown et al., 1987). As a consequence, many police precincts aimed to determine how they can become involved in practices that continue to protect members of the community while also ensuring that police practices are carried out more fairly. Therefore, community-based policing was developed to provide the community with the ability to provide suggestions to the police concerning the crime prevention methods they believe will be the most effective. In addition to providing supports to community members, such as drug prevention programs and after-school recreation and study programs, community based policing also changes the culture of the communities in which this method is employed. If adults in the community are able to send the message to other adults and children that crime is wrong, then others in the community are less likely to commit these acts.

It is apparent that community-based policing provides ethical, social, and programmatic supports that is not possible with stop and frisk. Thus, this method is most effective to help reduce, and eventually eliminate, less ethical practices.

References

Brown, L. & Wycoff, M.D. (1987). Policing Houston: reducing fear and improving services.
Crime and Delinquency, 71-89.

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