Alert Preclusive Strategy for Horrendous Terrorist Actions - Assignment Example

Name Professor Name Course Date Abstract: The proliferation in these kinds of terrorism and horrific crimes is extensively reflected in the shift in strategy among different governments globally. This has led to the creation of new tools, technologies and strategies to facilitate crime prevention strategies strategy. This essay argues that in a society that is increasingly threatened by terrorism and horrific crimes, police have resorted to targeting the risks populations in relation to crime. This strategy is both fair and effective. Q: In a society made ever more vigilant by terrorist activity and horrendous crimes police have resorted to the targeting of risk populations in relation to crime, is this an effective preventative strategy and is it fair? Introduction Increase in governmental, personal and commercial expenditures on crime prevention strategies and the rise in the number of programs aimed at fighting terrorism has raised the most crucial policy question concerning crime prevention strategies. However, the underlying question is whether these strategies actually work, and whether they reduce the possibility of crime or discourage individuals from carrying out these types of crimes (Lum, Kennedy and Sherley, 2006a). Additionally, a fundamental question is whether the strategies could produce unintended consequences or harmful impacts. The proliferation in these kinds of terrorism and horrific crimes is extensively reflected in the shift in strategy among different governments globally. This has led to the creation of new tools, technologies and strategies to facilitate crime prevention strategies strategy. This essay argues that in a society that is increasingly threatened by terrorism and horrific crimes, police have resorted to targeting the risks populations in relation to crime. This strategy is both fair and effective. Targeting the risks populations serves to prevent or reduce risk factors for horrendous crimes or terrorists activities. Indeed, studies have indicated that an effective crime prevention strategy is that which focuses on the “situations and places where the risk population lives,” and who have not yet been troubled by terrorism or horrendous crimes (Lum, Kennedy and Sherley, 2006). Docobo (2005) points out that such a strategy can ensure that crime never becomes a significant problem in the place. For instance, in the 1980s in Canada, a new mining community was being established as Tumbler Ridge, in northeastern British Columbia. The designers and architects of the town placed their focus on the community that would form the risk population. Consequently, the designers and architects followed principles that ensured a smooth flow of foot traffic throughout all sections of the town. Further, an easy view of the areas where crime was likely to occur was ensured, hence discouraging the likelihood of horrendous crimes. Ever, since Tumbler Ridge has become a model of pure crime prevention across the globe (Criminal Justice Reform, 2013). Next, innovative efforts to prevent crime and social order such as publicity campaigns have increasingly become a critical component of modern police work. When such interventions focus on the risk population through publicity and advertisement, they can effectively encourage the public to adopt self-protection mechanisms or measures. Indeed, this is an effective strategy since most terrorism activities and horrendous crimes are unexpected and police response time may not be effectively reliable. Further, through publicity and advertisements, the police warn offenders of their increased vigilance and advanced practices. Barthe (2006) opines that when publicity campaigns are designed effectively, they can offer police agencies an effective problem-solving tool against crime. Indeed, publicity campaigns through the media pass pertinent information to the risk population, who are the potential victims. Informing the public about crime areas can enable them to avoid places with reported crime incidents. In the UK and the United States governments have often issued travel alerts through the media to warn its nationals against visiting certain high risk areas as a result preventing likelihood of terrorism. In Figure 1below, the impact of a publicity campaign crime prevention strategy targeted at the offenders is shown. While the strategy manages to assist the police to arrest a section of the offending population, a number of offenders are unaffected. This is because in this kind of scenario, the benefits of the strategy are limited to those who have heard about the operation through the media. Figure 1: Crime reduction strategy targeted at offenders (Barthe, 2006). In Figure 2 below, the publicity campaign sells the advanced police crime prevention techniques. Hence, a larger section of the risk population learns about the strategy and consequently, greater crime reduction results. Figure 2: Crime reduction strategy targeted at risk population (Barthe, 2006). Building partnerships with the risk population is also an effective method of preventing horrendous crimes and terrorist activities. After the September 11 attack, the US Department of Justice (2002) acknowledged that counter-terrorism was not an effort that would involve the law enforcement alone and exclude the risk population. Researchers have established that crime prevention strategies must include partnerships not only with the police but also with the communities that are risk of terrorism or horrendous crimes (Docobo, 2005). The partnerships have indeed been effective in taking advantage of the public to respond to terrorist acts. In particular, this means building trust between antagonistic risk populations, such as the Arabs or Muslims and other groups. Through the partnerships, an effective communication between the communities and the state is enhanced. Indeed, this can be effective in informing the police about suspect terrorists. A larger number of terrorists have been apprehended through this strategy. For instance, through the partnerships, terrorist threats to Central Asia imposed by Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and its splinter group called Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) were unearthed. An attempt to bomb airliner by a Nigerian Farouk Abdulmutallab were also effectively unearthed through informing the law enforcement through partnership with the risk populations (Witkowsky, 2010). Australia’s counter-terrorism efforts have also been a model to many states across the globe. Australia has often focused on prevention. The approach depends on strong partnerships with the risk populations and information sharing. Strategies targeting the risk population that use a behavioral approach to prevent violence has also show great potential to prevent horrendous crimes and terrorist activities (Welsh and Farrington, 2010). Studies have showed that behavioral approaches on the risk populations can indeed be effective in prevention violence on a universal scale (Office of the Surgeon General 2001). Some of the behavioral approaches include monitoring of behaviors of individuals. This has indeed been effective in preventing horrendous crimes at school level. A large body of evidences on the effectiveness of monitoring and reinforcement of behaviors are derived from early studies by Catalano, Loeber and McKinney (1999). The studies suggest that strategies that focus on enhancing positive behavior through consistent monitoring can prevent criminal activities as well as expose young people to violent crimes. According to Office of the Surgeon General (2001), shootings and deaths in learning institutions, combined with the increase severity of youth violence can be effectively prevented by focusing on strategies directed towards any single influence, such as the family, peers or school. In which case, for the preventing strategy to be effective, it should focus on the risk factors in different settings. Targeting the risks populations serves to prevent or reduce risk factors for horrendous crimes or terrorists activities. After the catastrophic events of the September 11, 2001 in United States where a group of terrorists bombed the Pentagon and the World Trade Centre and hijacked a plane that was crashed in Pennsylvania, governments across the globe have reflected on the changing their dimension of the crime prevention to focus more on protecting the risk populations at the scene of crime. In Australia for instance, while it is a fact that the government has attempted to increase efforts in the area of prevention and response to terrorism, a large extent of the responsibility for responding to terrorism threats rests at the local community level where the public is educated on reporting suspicious behaviors to the law enforcement or how to respond to such crimes (Michaelsen, 2010; Growley, 2010). This is indeed fair as it is the risk population who are not involved in the criminal activities and yet who run the risk. In addition, they are also often the first to report at the crime of scene, either as witnesses or victims (Kelling and Bratton, 2006a). However, police’s strategy to resort to the targeting of the risk population in relation to crime cannot be applied independently. Rather, a number of other preventive measures have also proved effective. For instance, the police have also resorted to using offender-oriented approaches such as intelligence-led policing to fight horrendous crimes and terrorism. According to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2010), technology to assist in information sharing and interoperability have been necessitated by recent terror attacks that focus use of advanced technologies. Communication interoperability involves the use of different technological systems and capacities to ensure effective information flow. In Australia, this has been encouraged locally among law enforcement agencies (Michaelsen, 2010). These include the use of automated computer aided dispatch systems (CAD), advanced records management systems (RMS), and geographical information system (GIS) to map out crime endemic areas. Collectively, these tools can ensure collection of large amounts of data as a result increasing the potential to identify threats and improving response to terrorism and horrendous crimes. Some of the effective preventive strategies used by the United States include fighting the “enemies abroad,” denying the criminals sanctuary or state support, denying criminals weaponry such as weapon of mass destruction and spreading peace and democracy (Perl, 2007). Conclusion In conclusion, in a society that is increasingly threatened by terrorism and horrific crimes, police have resorted to targeting the risks populations in relation to crime. This strategy is both fair and effective. First, focusing on the situations and places where the risk population lives can effectively prevent crime. Additionally, such as publicity campaigns have increasingly become a critical component of modern police work as they inform the public on protective measures. Building partnerships with the risk population is also an effective method of preventing horrendous crimes and terrorist activities. Strategies targeting the risk population that use a behavioral approach to prevent violence have also shown great potential to prevent horrendous crimes and terrorist activities. Lastly, the strategy is fair as it focuses on protecting the risk populations as they involve the group at great risk and who are also the first to report to the scene. References Barthe, E. (2006). Crime Prevention Publicity Campaigns. Center for Problem-Oriented Policing. Retrieved Catalano, R., Loeber, R. & McKinney, K. (1999). School and Community Interventions To Prevent Serious and Violent Offending. Juvenile Justice Bulletin. Retrieved Criminal Justice Reform (2013). Community Crime Prevention Guide. Retrieved Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (2010). Securing Australia | Protecting Our Community. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved Docobo, J. (2005). "Community Policing as the Primary Prevention Strategy for Homeland Security at the Local Law Enforcement Level." Journal of the Naval Postgrduate School Centre for Homeland Defence and Security. 1(1). Retrieved Growley, M. (2010). "Countering Home-Grown Terrorists in Australia: An Overview of Legislation, Policy and Actors Since 2001." Proceedings of the 1st Australian Counter Terrorism Conference. Retrieved Kelling, G, & Bratton, W. (2006). “Policing Terrorism.” Civic Bulletin. 1(4). Retrieved Lum, C., Kennedy, L. & Sherley, A. (2006a)"Are counter-terrorism strategies effective? The results of the Campbell systematic review on counter-terrorism evaluation research." Journal of Experimental Criminology. Retrieved Lum, C., Kennedy, L. & Sherley, A. (2006b). “The Effectiveness Of Counter-Terrorism Strategies.” A Campbell Systematic Review. Retrieved Michaelsen, C. (2010). "Terrorism in Australia: An Inflated Threat." Security Challenges, 6(2):19-25 Office of the Surgeon General (2001). Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General. Retrieved Perl, R. (2007). "Combating Terrorism: The Challenge of Measuring Effectiveness." CSR Report for Congress. Retrieved U.S. Department of Justice (2002). Local Law Enforcement Responds to Terrorism: Lessons in Prevention and Preparedness. Retrieved Welsh, B. & Farrington, D. (2010). The Future of Crime Prevention: Developmental and Situational Strategies. National Institute of Justice. Retrieved from Witkowsky, A. (2010) Preventing Terrorism: Strategies and Policies To Prevent and Combat Transnational Threats. Retrieved Read More

Further, an easy view of the areas where crime was likely to occur was ensured, hence discouraging the likelihood of horrendous crimes. Ever, since Tumbler Ridge has become a model of pure crime prevention across the globe (Criminal Justice Reform, 2013). Next, innovative efforts to prevent crime and social order such as publicity campaigns have increasingly become a critical component of modern police work. When such interventions focus on the risk population through publicity and advertisement, they can effectively encourage the public to adopt self-protection mechanisms or measures.

Indeed, this is an effective strategy since most terrorism activities and horrendous crimes are unexpected and police response time may not be effectively reliable. Further, through publicity and advertisements, the police warn offenders of their increased vigilance and advanced practices. Barthe (2006) opines that when publicity campaigns are designed effectively, they can offer police agencies an effective problem-solving tool against crime. Indeed, publicity campaigns through the media pass pertinent information to the risk population, who are the potential victims.

Informing the public about crime areas can enable them to avoid places with reported crime incidents. In the UK and the United States governments have often issued travel alerts through the media to warn its nationals against visiting certain high risk areas as a result preventing likelihood of terrorism. In Figure 1below, the impact of a publicity campaign crime prevention strategy targeted at the offenders is shown. While the strategy manages to assist the police to arrest a section of the offending population, a number of offenders are unaffected.

This is because in this kind of scenario, the benefits of the strategy are limited to those who have heard about the operation through the media. Figure 1: Crime reduction strategy targeted at offenders (Barthe, 2006). In Figure 2 below, the publicity campaign sells the advanced police crime prevention techniques. Hence, a larger section of the risk population learns about the strategy and consequently, greater crime reduction results. Figure 2: Crime reduction strategy targeted at risk population (Barthe, 2006).

Building partnerships with the risk population is also an effective method of preventing horrendous crimes and terrorist activities. After the September 11 attack, the US Department of Justice (2002) acknowledged that counter-terrorism was not an effort that would involve the law enforcement alone and exclude the risk population. Researchers have established that crime prevention strategies must include partnerships not only with the police but also with the communities that are risk of terrorism or horrendous crimes (Docobo, 2005).

The partnerships have indeed been effective in taking advantage of the public to respond to terrorist acts. In particular, this means building trust between antagonistic risk populations, such as the Arabs or Muslims and other groups. Through the partnerships, an effective communication between the communities and the state is enhanced. Indeed, this can be effective in informing the police about suspect terrorists. A larger number of terrorists have been apprehended through this strategy. For instance, through the partnerships, terrorist threats to Central Asia imposed by Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and its splinter group called Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) were unearthed.

An attempt to bomb airliner by a Nigerian Farouk Abdulmutallab were also effectively unearthed through informing the law enforcement through partnership with the risk populations (Witkowsky, 2010). Australia’s counter-terrorism efforts have also been a model to many states across the globe. Australia has often focused on prevention. The approach depends on strong partnerships with the risk populations and information sharing. Strategies targeting the risk population that use a behavioral approach to prevent violence has also show great potential to prevent horrendous crimes and terrorist activities (Welsh and Farrington, 2010).

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