Mini report
The summary of findings is:
1. The total number of crimes has remained unchanged during the years 2011-2015. The variation percentage both in terms of increase and decrease is negligible.
2.Aggravated assault constitutes the maximum number of violent crime committed each year. The highest number of reported cases of robbery was in 2013. The incidents of rape was lowest in 2012. Then this category has displayed an increasing trend. The maximum number of cases reported was in 2015. The instances of murder were the lowest across all categories of crime.
3. In the property crime category, larceny cases occupies the highest position and MV thefts the least position,each year. Year 2011 had the maximum cases in MV theft,while 2015 had the minimum. Burglary cases were the highest in 2012 and it has displayed a downward trend since then.(Index crimes reported)
Crime rate table : The rate refers to 100000 population
Trends observed:
1. Increase in the number of murder cases.
2. Rape crimes display an increase every year. This is a highly dangerous trend.
3. Increase in the incidents of robbery in the year 2015.
4. Aggravated assault crimes occupy the highest position in the category of violent crimes over the years and are a prime area of concern for the law enforcement authorities. They have displayed an increasing trend over the years 2014 and 2015.
5.Burglary incidents have decreased over the years 2013-2015.
6. Incidents of larceny are the highest across all categories of crime each year. It has displayed an increase in the year 2015.
7. MV theft has displayed a decreasing trend over the years 2014 and 2015.
Presentation to the local community:
Neighborhood watch and cooperation with neighbors is an effective way of crime prevention. Spare keys are deposited with a trusted neighbor or shopkeeper. It must not be kept below the doormat,ledge or mailbox. Even if the houses or shops remain temporarily unoccupied, they need to appear as "occupied" to outsiders. This is accomplished by automatically switching the tube lights on and off at predetermined intervals of time. Potential hiding places for intruders are to be identified and well illuminated. These include among others: location between trees, staircases, lanes, corridors. It has become imperative for citizens to join hands and prevent crime. (Home and Neighborhood Safety)
Well informed,vigilant communities have a critical role in making the community a safe place to live. The community members need to keep their eyes and ears open to surrounding environment and report any kind of activity which appears suspicious to the police. The report should contain details of:
1. what was observed: strangers or unfamiliar vehicles which trespass into the community regularly without any valid reason.
2. The time at which the observation took place.
3. Place of observation.
4. The reasons for suspicion. (About the Campaign)
No community is completely immune to criminal activities. Various steps are needed to keep the family and neighborhood in a safety net. Elders in the family should make sure that children, adolescents,teenagers take permission from them before stepping outside their home. The elders need to be informed on aspects like : the purpose of going out,where they are going,who is accompanying them,how they are going, how can they be reached(a phone number for example) among other things. They must be disciplined to return home with in a stipulated time. The children should not loiter around abandoned building. Limits must be set where all the children can go and play. The details of friends of the children for instance names of parents,phone numbers,address should be written in a book and must be available when needed. Children must be made to remember the phone numbers of their parents and that of police station. There must
be a safe house in the community where children can seek help. Also other places like libraries and police stations must be shown to children to seek help in an emergency.( Neighborhood Safety Tips For Parents)
Children should not engage in unnecessary conversations with strangers and not receive any gifts or eatables from them. The parents should not let their children wander around on their own. The parents must accompany their children when they go out to play and keep a watchful eye. Women folk should get training to defend themselves against any kind of attacks by criminals. They must possess some kind of weapon for protection. All women folk including young girls, adolescents,teenagers should avoid going outside their homes after dusk. In case of emergency,the male members of house hold must accompany the women folk. In certain areas it is necessary to carry licensed weapons for protection. Unnecessary display of jewelery should be avoided,since it attracts thieves. Closed circuit television cameras should be installed for effective monitoring of the community. Alarms,sirens must be installed at different strategic locations and they are be programmed to get activated in critical situations. The police personnel need to make frequent visits to the community neighborhood at night to scare away the lurking criminals. Extravagant display of wealth must be avoided.
References
"Index Crimes Reported: 2011 - 2015."<http://www.criminaljustice.ny.gov/crimnet/ojsa/indexcrimes/county_totals.htm>.
"Home and Neighborhood Safety ."<http://www.ncpc.org/topics/home-and-neighborhood-safety>
"About the Campaign."<https://www.dhs.gov/see-something-say-something/about-campaign>.
"Neighborhood Safety Tips For Parents ." 2013. <https://www.alertid.com/search/neighborhood-safety-tips.asp>.
