How To Reduce Crime In Your City

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(NC)-During my term as Chair of the National Strategy on
Community Safety and Crime Prevention, I have a visited cities in the
United States, England and Belgium to discuss successful crime
reduction strategies with local crime prevention officials. One thing
that struck me was how similar their experiences were. In each city
there was a serious crime problem, a focussed response and a
substantial improvement in both the reality and the perception of
safety.

Although there are no "one-size-fits-all" solutions, there are
common elements at work, chief among them a willingness to involve the
community in a meaningful way. As one Chief of Police observed, "I
[used to think] that the police fought crime alone and that the
community could only get in the way. Now we've got it right. We
understand that in order to prevent crime and keep our community safe,
we've got to involve the community as our partner."

Jack Calhoun, President and CEO of the U.S. National Crime
Prevention Council has identified six factors that were present in
successful American city programs, even though actual strategies
differed. They are:

1. A belief that all key municipal entities must play a
   role in cutting crime and violence. Schools, businesses, municipal
   government and social services must all work together.
   
2. The need to engage in specific, trackable
   actions. Cities need to have clear data on what the problems are, where
   they are and what's causing them. They need to know what's working and
   what isn't in order to use resources effectively.
   
3. The courage to do business differently and to share power. Giving up "turf," while difficult, is essential to working together.
   
4. A dual commitment to targeted enforcement and
   prevention - things like after school programs and mentoring. Law
   enforcement resources must be deployed consistently with broader crime
   prevention objectives.
   
5. A commitment to the long term. This is a
   challenge when some offer instant solutions, but helping young people
   build better lives doesn't happen overnight.
   
6. And, as Calhoun puts it, "Clear, passionate,
   hands-on commitment from the leading policy-makers, prime among them
   the Mayor and the Chief of Police."
   

Leadership; working together; identifying problems and then
attacking them; measuring results; doing business differently; being
tough on crime and equally tough on the causes of crime . . . these are
the factors that we witness everyday in projects and communities
throughout Canada. They produce positive changes here, just as they do
in countries around the world.

For details on how Canadian towns and cities are working
together to reduce and prevent crime, and how your community can get
involved, visit www.crime-prevention.org.

Barbara Hall, is Chair of Canada's National Strategy on Community Safety and Crime Prevention.

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