Responding to Theft, Robbery, Assault and Indecent Assault
Your analysis of the local problem should give
you a better understanding of the factors that are
contributing to the problem. Once you have analysed your local
problem and established a baseline for measuring
effectiveness, you should consider possible responses to
address the problem. The following response strategies provide
a foundation of ideas for addressing your particular problems.
These strategies have been used in practice and/or suggested
by researchers, and a small number have been evaluated.
Several of these strategies may apply to the particular
problems in your community. It is critical that you tailor
responses to local circumstances, and that you can justify
each response based on reliable analysis. Any intervention
strategy should seek to address as many known contributing
factors as possible. This is likely to mean a package of
responses is required. Law enforcement responses alone are
seldom effective in reducing or solving the problem.
When considering your response you will need
to consider its effectiveness, expense, acceptability and ease
of implementation (Poyner and Warne, 1988). You will probably
also need to implement a combination of short-term and
longer-term strategies. For example, a short-term strategy to
reduce thefts might include increased policing at times and
locations where thefts are most concentrated, whilst a
long-term strategy might include changes to the design of
stations or vehicles. There is evidence to suggest that
introducing a package of responses, based upon reliable
analysis of the local situation, can have a significant impact
on the number of crimes committed against passengers (see
below).
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Carr and Spring (1993) reported on the
introduction of the Travel Safe program in Victoria,
Australia in 1990. This program was intended to increase
passenger safety and target vandalism on bus, tram and train
systems in Victoria and included a number of new initiatives:
-
improved information systems (e.g. setting
up a forum for community consultation);
-
cleaning up the system (e.g. improved
procedures for cleaning of graffiti, repair of vandalism
and collection of litter);
-
improved protective measures (e.g. CCTV
was installed at stations and on trains and buses,
patrolling of trains, stations and other facilities was
increased, and staff escorted customers to their vehicles
in commuter car parks).
An evaluation conducted in 1992 found a
decrease of 42% in the number of reported crimes against
passengers. Significant reductions in vandalism and an
increase in the availability of rolling stock were also
reported.
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This section considers responses that may be
effective in reducing one or more categories of crime,
although you will often need to use the response in a
different way for each (e.g. at different times and
locations). The responses discussed below work by increasing
the perceived risks of crime or increasing the effort needed
for crime.
Responses to Reduce Thefts, Robberies,
Assaults and Indecent Assaults
Increasing the
Perceived Risks of Detection / Improving Response
Increasing the Effort
Needed for Crime
References
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