DOES POLICING AFFECT CRIME?

Does policing affect crime?

Does policing affect crime?

Abstract

Consumer desperation, anger, and frustration might also be the root cause of several other trends. An increase in violence, a proliferation of scams, and a greater willingness to buy wares such as iPods and GPS devices from pawn shops instead of retail stores - a choice that helps drive the underground economy. Lawrence police saw the number of home burglaries jump 52 percent, to 514, in 2008. In Lowell, larcenies and thefts went up 21 percent to 2,290 last year. In Hingham, reports of domestic violence between October 2008 and February 2009 increased 62 percent, compared with the same time period a year earlier, rising from 35 to 57.

Introduction

The statistics from professor Reynolds illustrate the problem for burglary. Similar statistics exist for other major crimes including murder. Today 3.3 violent crimes are committed for every police officer. Twenty-five years ago, the ratio was exactly opposite. It is not surprising that we have an epidemic of crime in this country when the chances of being caught, prosecuted and convicted are so low. The average criminal has no reason to fear law enforcement. The obvious solution is to increase the deterrent through more police and swift and sure punishments. (Skaist, Aaron Jacob, 2008)

Explaation

The premise is simple: a criminal in prison cannot shoot your family. While the idea of incarceration is not new, some of the recent findings are. A 1992 publication by the Justice Department entitled, "The Case for More Incarceration" showed the following: (Skaist, Aaron Jacob, 2008)

•That incarceration is cheaper than letting a criminal out on the streets.

•That although the crime rate is high, the rate of increase has been going down since we started putting more people in prison.

•That blacks and whites are treated equally and that the vast majority of law-abiding African-Americans would gain most from more incarceration of criminals because African-Americans are more likely to be victims of violent crime.

Putting criminals behind bars keeps them off the streets and is less expensive to society than letting them back out on the street. (Skaist, Aaron Jacob, 2008)

The same publication by the Justice Department also found that much violent crime is committed by people who have already been in the criminal justice system. This included those who have been arrested, convicted, or imprisoned, or who are on probation or parole. The chronic offender has had 5 or more arrests by the age of 18 and has gotten away with dozens of other crimes.

Police departments that target "serious habitual offenders" and put them behind bars have found the number of violent crimes as well as property crimes drops significantly. Arresting, prosecuting, convicting, and incarcerating this small percentage of criminals will make communities safer. (Skaist, Aaron Jacob, 2008)

Offender''s race never affect sentencing severity. Does not matter the criminal is black or white, he/she will be sentenced equally. The final issue is both psychological and political ...