OSGV Case Study Essay

Situational and social approaches to crime prevention are both proactive where they anticipate and prevent crime but are different in the way on how crime is prevented, each having their own strength and weaknesses. In this essay, I will briefly talk about what is crime prevention and how situational and social approaches are derived, followed by providing a critical comparison of situational and social approaches by first explaining what is situational and social approaches to crime prevention, the differences between the two approaches, their strength and weaknesses and lastly, to show understanding that besides situational and social approach, there are other approaches to crime prevention.

This paper will examine the concepts of a new criminal justice. It will also discuss why the concept requires the involvement of the entire community and why it may be difficult to implement. There will also be information on programs that promote safe neighborhoods and why communities may like and dislike these different programs.

For years, gang crime has been loathed by society, as society has perceived it to threaten the well-being of its members. In addition to the fear of gang violence, concerns have been raised of gangs polluting youth; hence, policing strategies have emerged more increasingly in an attempt to put an end to the delinquency. Nevertheless, for society the causation of gang crime has been discussed to a lesser extent; thus, the objective of this essay will be to depict a viable explanation of gang crime through the use of two criminological theories. To accomplish the task at hand; I shall, define gang crime, provide a description of social disorganization theory, illustrate how the application of social disorganization theory provides an explanation of gang crime, describe differential opportunity theory, demonstrate how differential opportunity theory can explain gang crime, and exemplify as to which theory provides a superior explanation of gang crime. In the end, it will be clear that social disorganization theory is a superior explanation of gang crime in comparison to differential opportunity theory, due to its ability to deliver a more enhanced explanation than the one that is provided by differential opportunity theory.

External validity is when research findings are applied to the real world. When looking at 19-21 year olds on a college campus, we need to study a broad range of individuals coming from different cultures and backgrounds. We also need to look at which situations these are being applied to such as where they are there drinking habits taking place.

Urban centers throughout the United States of America and the world have experienced violence within the inner city communities. Many of the inner city communities are low-income and are poverty stricken. The spread of gang membership within the communities has influenced many young adolescents. Activities such as drug dealing, theft, assaults, and murders drive law enforcement to prevent crime. The justice system is also being changed due to the increase in minor violence. One of the reasons is due to people being part of minority groups. The charges pushed by the judicial

The first important ingredient in the G.R.E.A.T program is the instruction of life skills is the foundation of the program. The program is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership for children in the years immediately before the prime ages for introduction into gangs and delinquent behavior. In accordance with a study by Dr. Esbensen in 2000, delinquency often serves as a precursor to gang involvement, the GREAT program focuses on providing life skills to students to help them avoid delinquent behavior and resorting to violence to solve problems. Communities need not have a gang problem in order to benefit from the program as its primary objective is prevention and is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership.

In recent times, public officials, community groups and activists have expressed their concern over the growth of violence perpetrated by youth gangs. On their own, local governments are often restricted not only by budgetary constraints, but operating knowledge. There is evidence that when public officials and community groups are engaged, empowered and enlightened in a collaborative effort, change happens. When both the public and private sectors willingly cooperate together, deterrence of gang violence can be achieved. This paper delves into specific government programs that studies and provides information on gang violence. This information brings forward specific limitations and recommendations that a continued collaborative effort can deter youth gang violence.

The Los Angeles intervention approach produces positive and negative attributes to combating gang related criminality. Gangs in society today, are problematic in many aspects. There are many different avenues city officials can take to combat or reduce gang related crime. Various methodologies have been used to take on this problem and have had successful results (Spergel,1986). “The general idea is that if gang members will not respond to ordinary social agency programs, then the programs must move out to the streets in order to achieve change (Klein,1965, p3. 183).”

The policy and problem identified in this policy analysis recognized the significance of the problem. Their goal was to address the issue of deterrence, public safety, and restoring neighborhoods to a safe environment for kids and the elderly to live. The plan outlines challenges for interactions with local residents and attracting more business to make the area a desirable place for residents and visitors to patronize. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of police foot patrol as a means of deterrence through apprehension and as a means of risk reduction, community and problem oriented policing, high crime neighborhood hot spots, and violence prevention.

Community mobilization would include local citizens and organizations working as a team to understand gang structures and provide social intervention and social opportunities. This would include police officers, probation officers, church groups whom would provide opportunities whenever possible on a micro level. On a micro and mezzo level, social interventions would then reach out to youths unable to connect with legitimate social institutions and provide crisis counseling, family counseling. Also providing referrals to services such as drug treatment, jobs, and educational programs. Provision of social opportunity would provide individualized services for each youth based on his or her needs. Suppression involves greater communication between agency service providers and control providers, jointly decide the outcome of a youth when trouble arises. Lastly, on a macro level, organizational change amongst local agencies and groups would all collaborate with one another providing important information for the program that the other may not be able to obtain. I believe I would of been interested in the macro aspect of the project doing outreach work because I feel as though it had the greatest impact on target youth. Outreach work is a key component of one of Chicago’s anti-gang violence program. On a macro approach the aim for this project is more societal and the model resembles that of a bureaucracy.

42) leading to Milio creating a theoretical framework to assess the health of the population. This student will utilize Milio’s conceptual framework to evaluate the health of the people of Wayne County to find solutions to the issue at hand. Identified risk factors that can be precipitating causes for violence in youth are exposure to violence on programs they watch, bullying in school, domestic violence and gang violence. When children see or live with violence in the home or school and the community, it becomes part of their everyday norms. Other causes of violence in the population is mental illness, drugs, poverty, and homelessness. Low-income families are more prone to physical violence within the neighborhoods and from the home where the middle-class families are more prone to face violence domestically or drug related. The community of Wayne County has limited resources available in areas like Detroit for after school programs, latchkey programs, and the ability of low-income families to afford daycare thus single parents and dual-income families have to rely on other family members and older children to watch younger siblings. According to Milio peoples, behaviors will change if alternative options are readily available and easily accessible the issue in Wayne County is that the availability of programs is there but accessing them is difficult and time-consuming to individuals. Social change is needed and time and money are being allocated to programs that bring community watch groups together, placing more lights on the streets of Detroit, creating a report with the police, increasing the number of officers patrolling the streets and increasing avenues to report the

Community crime prevention programs incorporate practices that target changes in a community’s culture, physical environment, or infrastructure to reduce crime such as gang involvement and violence (Citation Needed). This paper will examine the following three different strategies used in crime prevention programs: focused deterrence strategy, problem-solving policing, and situational crime prevention. Deterrence strategy or theory states that crimes can be prevented when the costs of committing the crime are perceived by the offender to outweigh the benefits of committing the crime (Braga et al., 2001). Programs that use the theory of situational crime prevention believe that crime can be reduced by identifying and then eliminating the forces that facilitate would-be offenders’ criminal acts (Clarke, 1992). Problem-oriented policing is an analytic method used by police to develop strategies that prevent and reduce crime. Under this method, a law enforcement agency will systematically analyze the problems of a community, search for effective solutions to the problems, and evaluate the impact of their efforts (Weisburd et al., 2004).

Gang crimes is one of the main issues in our community and what the residents in most areas in the united states are currently worried about one thing in mind about gangs and one of the answers is violence that incudes drive by shootout in their neighborhoods due to rival gangs coming on other gang’s territory for financial reasons for example like getting people in that area to pay protection money or sell drugs ,recruiting and to gain more ground and parents today are worried for the safety of their kids when they go to school and out while waiting for the bus to come and pick them up every day. Gangs today in our modern society have four important dimensions’ age, size, commitment and attraction.

In conclusion, the gathered data and research on the efficacy of existing anti-gang laws and programs is dependent on the circumstances surrounding the local government in the target area. The success of gang prevention and intervention is highly dependent on government, local and state funding, immigration enforcement, schooling, community involvement and other similar factors. Initiatives such as G.R.E.A.T. and A Better LA. provide measurable benefits but do not solidify success to the majority. Programs that are successful at teaching the consequences of gang involvement and assist with improving police and community relations are worth the investment. While the programs and initiatives may not be a saving grace for those at risk for gang activity, they have proven to reduce delinquent behavior.

The focus of this paper will be based upon different crime prevention strategies implemented by members of the communities, local and government authorities.