| Based on: Chapter 17 Conclusion: How can we reduce crime?
In Criminology by Steven E. Barkan (an intro crim textbook) Steven Barkan�s proposals for reducing street crime are based on a public health strategy, and explore three different levels of public policy approaches. Remember, public policy seeks to go beyond narrow individual problems in order to prevent problems on a larger scale � policy approaches deal with social problems rather than just individual problems. Primary level - focuses on aspects of the social and physical environment � this is the broadest and most efficient and effective policy approach to public health, and deals with basic causes to try to stop most of the potential social problems before they start. Secondary level - focuses on high-risk categories of people � this policy approach seeks to find the early �warning signs� of social problems so that measures can be taken to prevent further damage and possibly reverse their development within the target population. Tertiary level - focuses on individuals and minimizing damage after the problem has begun � although a very necessary aspect of policy, this is the narrowest and most expensive, inefficient and ineffective policy approach to social problems. Here is an example of how the public health model approaches a problem like heart disease: More than ten percent of American adults (est. 24 million) have heart disease. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US, and kills more than 600,000 Americans a year (by comparison, there are less than 15,000 homicides a year!), In addition to the deaths, treatment of heart disease costs tens of billions of dollars each year (surgeries, medications, lost productivity, etc.), reduces the quality of life for millions of people, and affects almost everybody in one way or another (family, friends, co-workers, etc.). Tertiary approaches focus on individual treatment of people who have been diagnosed with heart disease. Secondary approaches focus on high-risk populations and try to change their behavior before the disease develops. High-risk factors include smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, especially when combined with a family history of heart disease. Dealing with these factors early can lower the overall incidence of heart disease in the population. Primary approaches involve broader policies that try to reduce the underlying causes of the high-risk factors. For example, in this case banning advertising of cigarettes and taxing tobacco to make products more expensive can reduce smoking thus reducing one of the risk factors for heart disease and in the long run reducing heart disease and the costs associated with it. Policies that encourage healthy diet and physical activity have similar effects. Most US crime policy, which is largely shaped by political and economic interest groups, is based on a tertiary strategy which is both ineffective and so expensive that it drains resources away from the other two approaches. Imagine the consequences if we simply punished people with heart disease while ignoring the underlying causes and high-risk factors. Barkan�s proposals outline a number of policies that would lower crime rates and improve the quality of life for everyone � in the long run, both less crime and less expense! PRIMARY STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION OF STREET CRIME: > Increase social policies to create decent-paying jobs for the poor, especially in urban areas. > Government aid for people who cannot find work or who work but are below the poverty level. > End all racial/ethnic segregation in housing. > Restore social integration and strengthen social institutions in urban neighborhoods. > Reduce housing and population density (crowding). > Reduce neighborhood dilapidation (clean up neighborhoods). > Change male socialization to de-emphasize violence and other criminogenic attitudes and values. > Reduce social and economic inequality between men and women. SECONDARY STRATEGIES: > Increase aid programs for high-risk children and families (education, nutrition, etc.). > Increase high-quality childcare and flexible work hours for working parents. > Improve schools in poorer neighborhoods (equalize school funding between richer and poorer areas). > Provide prenatal and postnatal nutrition and other health care for families. > Increase shelters and rape crisis centers so children won't grow up in violent households. TERTIARY STRATEGIES: > Reduce reliance on imprisonment and expand community corrections (reduces recidivism). > Improve prison conditions, emphasize education and job training (reduces recidivism). > Eliminate "get tough" policies like three strikes, mandatory minimum sentences, etc. > Consider changing at least some drug laws to minimize the damage done by "drug wars." > Expand community policing and police focus on crime "hot spots." > Increase police diversity (women and minorities) police (would improve police-community relations). > Reduce police aggressiveness, brutality, racial profiling. (would improve police-community relations). > Increase gun control to reduce guns among people who should not have them. > Increase intolerance of white-collar crime and political corruption. |