Policing: System and Practice

Policing: System and Practice

This crime prevention programs have been designed to ensure improved security and safety of the Australian community by way of reducing such unsafe, anti-social behavior and violent crimes that are mostly committed by the youth of Australia. The youth of the nation is alleged to have been engaged in crime statistics at a high rate as both offenders and victims. The young offenders are inclined to commit offences in group, especially those, that draws more attention. The offences committed are mostly unplanned, opportunistic offences, which are mostly committed in public areas or in the neighborhood of the offenders.

The National Youth Policing Model [the Model] has been developed in 2009 with the objective to address several problems that have a significant adverse impact on both young adults and juveniles aged 12 to 24 years. Such issues include risky driving behavior, alcohol related violence and other anti-social behaviors (Crime prevention, 2018). This Model has been developed in association with the initiative under the National Strategy for Young Australians. Every state jurisdiction may apply the program as per their respective arrangements. The Model comprises nationally coordinated strategic framework by incorporating six high-priority national strategies that are guided by nine evidence-based principles, which ensures a balanced and holistic approach to policing offending committed by youths. The essential principles include “Right time- Right place, trust, Sooner than later, prevention is better than cure, respect, boundaries, Working together, Right person- right response and responding to substance abuse”.

The scientific study of the causes of delinquency and crime has been guided by criminology theories. A good theory enables to comprehend and construe the symptom of a particular behavior. In the criminological context, theories have been developed based on the concept associated with biology, sociology, psychology and the behavior that it explains is the behavior that infringes the codified laws of the society. The criminology theories enable to understand and explain the workings of the criminal justice system as well as the actors within the system (Akers, 2017). The criminology theories include breaking and making of the law, deviant and criminal behavior along with the several patterns of criminal activity. The incorporation of criminal theories within criminology is beneficial as it facilitates understanding of behavior in a more potentially, intricate and complete manner. Several crime prevention programs or community programs are initiated which are based on either one or more type of criminology theories such as Rational and Deterrence theory, Psychological theories of crime, Self-control theories, social structure theories, Social construction theories, etc.

In regards to the establishment of the National Youth Policing Model Program in Australia, the crime prevention program is based on two essential criminology theories, the social structure theory and the social control theory. The social structure theory states that people learn criminal behavior from the people around them. This theory emphasizes on factors like lack of education, poverty, absence of distinguished skills and sub-cultural values, which are considered as fundamental causes of crime (Gottfredson, 2017). There are three subtypes of social structure theories such as culture conflict theory, social disorganization theory and strain theory.

According to the social disorganization theory, it relates crime rates to neighborhood ecological characteristics that is, place is an influencing factor, which leads a person to become an offender. The residential location of any person is a fundamental factor in determining the possibilities that a person is likely to be engaged in criminal or illegal activities (Hirschi, 2017). The residential location is more significant than the characteristics of an individual such as gender, age, etc. For instance, this theory suggests that people especially, youths belonging to disadvantaged neighborhoods take part in subculture that supports delinquency or illegal activities. Under such a cultural and social setting, the youth learn criminality and become offenders. The disorganization theory states that there are certain ecological factors that attribute to the incline in the crime rate within a community such as deteriorating infrastructures, single-parenting, unemployment, school-drop-outs, etc.

Now, given the National Youth Policing Model, it has been established to alleviate the involvement of young people in violent, unsafe and anti-social behaviors by applying the practical best practice approaches, which are supported by the nationally coordinated policing strategies. The national strategies aim at reducing the street violence, anti-social behavior and road trauma (Tittle, 2018). The national strategic framework incorporated in this Model along with the key principles enables the police to obtain best practice while policing the young people. The engagement of police is fundamental, as they will ensure reduction in involvement of young people in criminal activities.

The social structure theory may be applied describing the purpose of this Model Program in Australia. As stated earlier that people tend to learn criminal behavior from the people around them. This is evident from the fact that the sub-type of this theory includes the disorganization theory, which considers location as the prime factor that leads to involvement in criminal activities. Amongst the nine evidence-based principle that are integrated in this Youth Policing model, the first essential principle states that crime reduction approaches must be directed to the local areas where the crime rate is usually high. The police should target the offenders belonging to disadvantaged localities where delinquency and illegal activities are supported, in order to reduce commission of crime.

The Model aims at making such people aware of their legal and safety rights that would enable them to right choices about their behavior and this has been considered as one of the high priority national strategies. Hirschi (2017) states that this strategy can be used to address the causes that leads to crime as per the disorganization theory which includes lack of education, school drop-outs  etc.

The strain theory stipulates that the likelihood of committing criminal activities is an outcome of certain strains such as inability of a person to achieve status or monetary goals, loss of valued possessions, loss of positive stimuli or presence of negative stimuli such as physical or verbal abuse, etc. Individuals often experience these strains and lose self-confidence, which ultimately leads them to choose the path of criminality as a means to reduce or overcome such strains. For instance, individuals who are being subjected to regular abuse from their parents may want to steal money and ran away from them (Sykes & Matza, 2017). Again, individuals may get involved into illicit drug use or may get used to alcohol in order to lessen their negative emotions. Further, they may commit other violent crimes like murder or assault to seek revenge against the source of strains.

According to McNeeley (2014), this theory may be applied to explain the formation of juvenile gangs. The most common type of strain is related to the inability to achieve monetary success or social status, which leads the youth to join or form delinquent groups to pursue illegal ways of earning money like selling of drugs. They join gangs in an effort to acquire social status that they desire to gain importance in the community. However, Farrington (2017) argues that though there may be several stains that attributes to criminal activity but at the same time not all forms of stains leads to engagement in criminal activities.

Therefore, it can be stated that stains that leads to crime or involvement in criminal activities are those, which are high in magnitude or are linked with low social control and are considered as unjust or unfair. Cullen (2017) asserts that these stains usually put in pressure or provide the youths with incentives to be involved in such delinquent activities. Homelessness and family breakdown of family are the two most common types of strains that are conducive to crime. It is high in magnitude, unjust with low social control. Homelessness compels individuals to engage into crimes to fulfill the basic needs and to safeguard one. Similarly, family issues/violence often results in lack of parental affection. It either leads to less interest in children especially the young people or physical and emotional abuse, both of which significantly attributes to commission of illegal or delinquent activities.

This theory is related to the Model, which is evident as the theory states that commission of criminal activities depends upon certain strains like inability of an individual to achieve monetary success or they lack positive stimuli, etc. One of the essential principles of the Model program is to provide right response to the right person. The policing strategies states that it must aim at recognizing the unique environment and the circumstances to which such individual offenders belong. The strategies must strive to meet the diverse behaviors and needs of the young people. For instance, identifying the environment and situation of individual offender is essential to prevent the involvement of young people into criminal activities especially in the remote and rural communities (Agnew, 2015).

Agger (2014) states that this can be achieved through the national strategies where early intervention may prevent young people from entering into the criminal justice system. Further, the police may also apply the strategy, which facilitates the young people to have access to appropriate services and support through collaboration and information sharing between several jurisdictions.

Often the young people are indulged in drug selling activities and activities related to drug abuse, which are the means of earning money, and they join delinquent groups or join gangs to obtain importance within the community. The types of strains may vary but young people often experience these strains and lose self-confidence, compelling them to choose the path of criminality as a means to reduce or overcome such strains. If these people receive access to appropriate services like counseling services and training programs where such young people are trained to obtain skills and earn a living without committing any crimes. Therefore, through collaboration and information sharing between several jurisdictions and other sectors like health, education and justice these young people may have access to appropriate services and support.

The cultural conflict theory states that crime results from clash of values that arises when several social groups have distinct ideas regarding the acceptability of a behavior. In other words, several distinct social groups have distinct cultural ideas and beliefs, which are contradictory, and such conflicting beliefs and ideas often lead to crime (Eck & Weisburd, 2015). The potential situations or causes which may give rise to such conflicts include misunderstandings may take place between ethnic or religious groups, nationalities, lack of awareness regarding different societal lifestyle practices, cultural insensitivity as well as cultural ignorance.

The Youth Policing Model aims at respecting offenders and ensuring their participation in criminal activities is alleviated. Given the fact, several groups of people have their distinct beliefs and ideas that are contradictory and often lead to commission of crime. There are instances where indigenous group of people faces discrimination and their beliefs and ideologies contradict, which may lead to participation of such young people into criminal activities (Agger, 2014).

In order to address issues under such circumstances, the Model program adopted the essential principle, which suggests that people belonging to diverse cultural background should be respected. Even offenders are at times not treated respectfully by criminal justice personnel, which often lead to the likelihood of re-offending. Therefore, the essential principles require the police to treat such offenders, especially young people because encouraging a sense of dignity and self-worth in the young offender shall assist them to play a constructive role within the community.

The social control theory states that individuals can comprehend the advantages of crime are capable of executing and inventing various forms of criminal acts without undergoing any special training or in the absence of any motivation (Cullen, 2017). The theory purports to locate the institutions and persons that are crucial in exercising control over the criminal and delinquent behavior. The essential elements of the bond include commitment, attachment, belief and involvement, which act as guidelines for evaluating prevention programs for the delinquents or the young offenders.

The Model program purports to apply diversion strategies and early intervention as a part of national coordinated strategy for policing the young people. It also ensures that policing efforts are directed appropriately to the local areas where the occurrence of crime is high for meeting the diverse offending behaviors and diverse needs of young people. This National Youth Policing Program is related to the social control theory as well. This is evident from the fact that the social control theory emphasizes on identifying essential elements that will reinforce the bond of the individuals and society such as commitment, attachment, belief and involvement, which act as guidelines for evaluating prevention programs for the delinquents or the young offenders (Storey, 2018).

The Model Program integrated nine evidence-based principles that shall assist in implementing the nationally coordinated strategies to deter crime. As the theory also purports to locate the institutions and persons to exercising control over the criminal and delinquent behavior, the Model program also purports to work together through collaboration between the youth workers, young people, police and community sectors. It also aims at collaborating with sectors like education, justice and health for policing young people. This Youth Program also purports to respond to substance abuse such as drugs and alcohol that are usually committed by young people (Tittle, 2018). These sectors shall facilitate the police to alleviate the participation of young people in criminal activities and will automatically reduce the likelihood of threats to the safety and security of the country and its nationals.

However, from the above discussion it can be inferred that social crime prevention strategies like community trainings, pursuing educational, and welfare objectives as a measure against anti-social conduct are not commonly the areas of interest of police as reactive strategies are adopted by police to fight against crimes. Tittle (2018) argues that on one hand, police do not have a  chance to influence the ‘social’ crime prevention given the reactive policing and the helplessness that the police might experience when they deal with poor educational outcomes, dysfunctional families, disadvantages of indigenous groups and generational unemployment. On the other hand, it can be stated that since police play an important role in fighting against crimes, and maintaining law and order in a society, hence, they should be involved in promoting societal conditions that does not allow people to engage in criminal activities.

If this Model program, which is based on the theory that young offenders should have access to proper services to prevent them from engaging into criminal activity, were altered, the deterrence and rational choice theory would have been appropriate. The rationale for modifying this program is that young people will comply with the law because they consider police to be the legitimate agents of the state and not because of the trainings or the community programs that have been initiated for deterring crimes (McNeeley, 2014). While it is a fact that circumstances, locations and environment are significant causes, which leads young people to commit crime, but it is also true that such delinquents will only deter crimes because of the punishment associated with such crimes. The young offenders may be sent to attend community programs and avail other related services but it shall be the threat of legal punishment, primarily, that would deter them from committing crimes or re-offending.

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