Article Analysis Essay on 'Preventing Crime'

Introduction

Across an extensive network of criminal justice system in the US and the rest of the world, millions of people live through the results of their past mistakes with many of them serving unnecessarily long sentences while others are battling with untreated drug addiction, and mental health problems thus may force an individual to engage in criminal activities (Cozens, Saville & Hillier, 2005). This because a painful reminder of just how broke most of the justice system are; maybe due to selective funding. To mend the department of justice, particular topics have been given priority as a way to reform the criminal justice system. For instance, the use of selective funding as one of the strategies in enhancing the criminal justice system.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Order now

The authors of the article 'Preventing Crime' conducted research on critical topics such as shortening the time nonviolent criminals serve and use of selective funding as a way of improving the criminal justice system in our society. This discussion is significant in the reduction of the prison population and minimizes the rate of crime. I understand this topic as a proposition by the government to create a system of early-release where inmates can also earn a living outside prison by being part of education and rehabilitation programs. Another critical discussion in the criminal justice system is the cost of incarceration. For example, by 2010, the US had spent $ 80 Billion on total correction expenditure- a 350 percent increase from what was spent in 1980 (Glaston, 2016). Just as the criminal justice department wishes to reduce the prison population, this topic is significant to reduce government spending and make other useful investments.

In the presence of these exciting topics, a milestone that interests me the most is the discussion on writing victims' rights into the constitution and the application of the selective funding technique. Generally, the world views criminal offenders like the ones who have rights to be told about their due process but fails to understand that even victims should be incorporated. The justice department wishes to consider 'an equal rights campaign' to ensure that victims are treated concerning their rights. This discussion is significant to enable administer a fair process to both offenders and victims and have them retain their rights even during the trial. According to my understanding, this discussion does not seek to add a dozen of rights to the victim but instead wishes to incorporate him in every critical decision-making process in the justice system.to effectively put the idea in use, the selective funding seems to be essential and ideal for the criminal justice system in our community.

The research of Sherman and her counterparts aims to find out the effects of selective funding and law enforcement within the criminal justice system as ways of preventing crime. Almost all the crime prevention approaches are unique to address the specific needs in which they are designed for, and they have goals and aims for either preventing or minimizing the rate of crime in any society. As a result, every approach has received funding but selectively; however, some of the strategies have not been effective as was initially intended, and some even end up not working in the long run.

The criminal justice system and legal departments have continued to put resources in programs that have failed to work due to the fact that some of the inappropriate assessment conducted regarding such programs;and thus rendering it impossible to determine the successful ones and those that are ineffective. For this reason, funding efforts needs to be emphasized on programs that have proven to work and have additional research measure effectiveness of viable approaches. The authors have published several other articles and journals on the same topic on crime prevention and the efficiency of the criminal justice system. Some of their articles and journals are widely available on the website and our national libraries across the states.

According to Sherman, most administrations have long adopted the essence of successful funding projects (Sherman et al. 1997). Nonetheless, the criminal justice system is still facing various challenges by delays to reduce crime due to ineffective identification of successful crime management strategies and invest in the same. The funding strategy by the criminal justice system has been criticized because of its limitation to design successful projects. The journals from past surveys show that funding alternative was never specific to successful options only. Extensive funding has been identified as one the primary reason why crime is not common in some areas since policymakers have not to focus on what programs that are considered effective. What is missing from past studies is a list of programs which have never worked. The authors of this article are currently working to find more about Criminal activities as part of humanity and the possibility of curbing the vices (Skogan & Frydl, 2004). The criminal justice has been a significant concern to humanity as everyone needs to work and exist in a free country free from crimes and threats to one's life and property.in this case the management of the criminal justice is vital in any society.

There are possibilities in the future that the research on criminal justice literature will be expanded as more researchers find the topic to be more current and trending. Most researchers have for decades tried to probe the various reasons why individuals commit crimes on a daily basis and how the law enforcement can be managed to ensure that the proprietors of the criminal activities. To some extent, the journal articles have relatively attempted to explain and prove the multiple causes of criminality in society and how the law enforcement agencies have put much effort in trying to maintain law and order. This has been greatly attributed to some other disciplines and their contributions such as the psychology to understand the changes in human behavior concerning criminal activities and the economic perspective.

I tend to believe that the police strategy within the criminal justice system needs to be very helpful, in order to guarantee the citizens of their safety in the society, and thus the community policing and selective funding play a very positive role in the system and detecting the criminality that is likely to be fuelled by the coercion and this can be managed through the civil education using the videos brochures and so on. These civic education helps the create awareness to the entire public on their responsibility in the justice system, and that other police offers to avert any criminal acts due to coercion. Again, over 30% of the officers to understand their roles, and 21% of the public also seems to comprehend the justice system. To ensure that all the strategies are put into action, then there is a need for funding. Through their thorough determination and dedication, the authors seem to recommend several solutions to the changes faced by the criminal justice system in their attempt to curb the vices.

Conclusion

The topic of selective funding and law enforcement needs further investigation for validation of what is assumed to be either negatively or positively impacting on the criminal justice system. Although many strategies are highlighted, it is fundamental to study the limitations of such approaches as well. Many states have put forward various strategies and reforms to facilitate the criminal justice system in the community (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 1986). The authors have also tried to highlight the policing change that has helped to promote the criminal justice system in our society; they have emphasized on at least three significant reforms which included the following: community policing, training of the police officers and selective funding to adhere with the laid down strategies to enhancing the criminal justice system and law enforcement. Nonetheless, the criminal justice system may have to be rearranged in the future.

References

Cozens, P. M., Saville, G., & Hillier, D. (2005). Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED): a review and modern bibliography. Property management, 23(5), 328-356. https://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/02637470510631483

Gottfredson, M., & Hirschi, T. (1986). The true value of lambda would appear to be zero: An essay on career criminals, criminal careers, selective incapacitation, cohort studies, and related topics. Criminology, 24(2), 213-234. https://www.researchgate.net/.../229507646_The_True_Value_of_Lambda_ Would_App...

Sherman, L. W., Gottfredson, D. C., MacKenzie, D. L., Eck, J., Reuter, P., & Bushway, S. (1997). Preventing crime: What works, what doesn't, what's promising: A report to the United States Congress. Washington, DC: US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs. https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/171676.PDF

Skogan, W. G., & Frydl, K. (2004). Fairness and effectiveness in policing: The evidence. https://www.scholars.northwestern.edu/.../fairness-and-effectiveness-in-policing-the-ev