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An Investigation Into the Impact of Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention and Control

An Investigation Into the Impact of Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention and Control

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Reference ID: PS-16569-TM

DEDICATION

This research work titled "An Investigation Into the Impact of Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention and Control" is dedicated to God for his enabling grace and to all computer enthusiasts who help to make life a pleasant experience.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I owe my indebtedness to my Supervisor (Name of your Supervisor), the Head of Department (Name of your HOD), the Lecturers in the department of Criminology and Security Studies, Book Authors and Profound Scholars of existing/related research material for your moral support that facilitated the successful completion of my (Tertiary Institution level). I am grateful to God Almighty and my parent for their financial support in my career. I really appreciate you all for everything, Thank you very much.


An Investigation Into the Impact of Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention and Control

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PRELIMINARY PAGES


CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Background of Study
  • 1.3 Statement of Problem
  • 1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study
  • 1.5 Research Questions
  • 1.6 Research Hypothesis
  • 1.7 Significance of Study
  • 1.8 Scope of Study
  • 1.9 Limitations of the Study
  • 1.10 Definition of Terms

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

  • 2.1 Introduction
  • 2.2 Conceptual Review of Community Policing
  • 2.3 The influence of Community Policing Partnership in Reducing Crime
  • 2.4 Police Community Crime Prevention
  • 2.5 Prospect of Community Crime Policing in Reducing Crime
  • 2.6 Theoretical Framework
  • 2.6.1 Social Disorganization Theory
  • 2.7 Empirical Studies

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

  • 3.1 Introduction
  • 3.2 Research Design
  • 3.3 Population of Study
  • 3.4 Sampling and Sampling Technique
  • 3.5 Validation of Research Instrument
  • 3.6 Method of Data Collection
  • 3.7 Method of Data Analysis
  • 3.8 Questionnaire
  • 3.8.1 Interview
  • 3.8.2 Key Informants Interview
  • 3.8.3 Observation
  • 3.9 Statistical Analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA ANALYSIS, RESULT AND DISCUSSION

  • 4.1 Introduction
  • 4.2 Presentation and Analysis of Data
  • 4.3 Test of Hypothesis 1
  • 4.4 Test of Hypothesis 2
  • 4.5 Discussion of Findings

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

  • 5.1 Introduction
  • 5.2 Summary
  • 5.3 Conclusion
  • 5.4 Recommendation

REFERENCES

APPENDIX A - “QUESTIONNAIRE”

ABSTRACT

Community policing is in hand with systematic relationship between the police and the entire people in the community. The study investigates the Impact of Community policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out to identify the prevalence of community policing on crime reduction, determine the factors that affect community policing, inquire the efforts taken by the government to ensure better community policing, and examine the effects of community policing by crime prevention and control in Nigeria. The research design used in this report is descriptive design, utilizing questionnaire method to obtain information from the respondents for this project. A total of 133 (one hundred and thirty three) respondents were selected for this study to represent the entire population of the study. For null hypotheses were formulated and tested using the one-way ANOVA and the t-test statistical tools at 0.05 level of significance. Primary data were collected from the primary source which questionnaire was used as an instrument of data collection while secondary data were sources from textbooks, journals, newspapers and the internet were employed. The data were presented on a frequency distribution table and analyzed using simple percentage, while hypothesis was tested using chi-square test. The relevance of the study is that, community crime prevention effort encourages residents to know and recognize their neighbors. It also serves as eyes and ears of the police for spotting and reporting any unusual activity. The significance of the study was to observe the impact of community policing on crime prevention in Nigeria.


An Investigation Into the Impact of Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention and Control

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction

Community policing is in hand with systematic relationship between the police and the entire people in the community. Police roles and functions are not simply law enforcement but also include tackling a huge range of community problems. The movement from traditional policing to community policing is a universal phenomenon and the Nigeria police cannot be an exception to this. Indeed, community policing as a philosophy and practice is a veritable vehicle for police reforms (Okiro, 2007). The Nigeria police in 2004, adopted community policing as a practical approach to police reforms, the stage was indeed set for a clear departure from traditional policing, that was reactive and incident based, to a problem solving oriented policing that is proactive with the community as the important part of policing objectives (Abdulrahaman, 2007).

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.


1.2 Background of Study

Every society applies certain rules and regulations made by the legislature that contains sanctions for violation, which order the behaviors of persons, bodies, organization and society in general. Society rewards certain behaviours and the same society inflicts sanctions upon negative behaviours, people are discouraged in one way or the other from engaging in acts that the society frowns at. In other to foster compliance, commitment, conformity and consensus, which are fundamental prerequisite of social order, most government including that of Nigeria usually employ specially trained people called police to checkmate disorder in the society. It is based on this background that it can be said that the police force helps to observe, fortify and stabilize the prevailing social order in the areas of law and order (Hess and Wrobleski, 2003). In other words organizations like the police are established in society for appropriate maintenance of rules and regulations, so as to eradicate crime or reduce crime. The police are most visible institution of the criminal justice system. Greater parts of citizens come in regular contact with the police than any other criminal justice institution. This makes the police to be the visible presence of the state in civil society (Jewkes and Letherby, 2002).

Community policing is major department-wide philosophy of policing that draws on most successful policing practice of the past and present (e.g) problem oriented policing while maintaining the vision for the future and being interdisciplinary in design, by “Borrowing” from variety of disciplines (e.g marketing), to produce the most creative efficient and effective approach to seeking closer communication and partnering with diverse citizens and groups to control crime, reduce fear, solve community problems and improve the quality of life (Pupura, 2001:252).

Community policing is a policy and strategy aimed at achieving more effective and efficient crime control, reduced fear of crime, improved quality of life, improved police services and legitimacy, through a proactive reliance on community resources that seek to change crime-causing conditions. This assumes need for greater accountability, greater public share in decision-making and greater concerns for civil rights. This concept appears to impose a new responsibility on the police to create appropriate ways of associating the public with law enforcement and the maintenance of order. It is said to define how the police should be sensible and appropriately respond to citizens and communities. The fact that the core function of the police is to control crime, this function can be greatly improved by diagnosing and managing problems in the community that produce serious crimes fostering closer relations with the community to facilitate crime solving; and building self defense capabilities within the community itself. Accordingly, community strategies of policing direct attention to and prepare the police to exploit local knowledge and capability to control crime (Dambazua, 1999).

Crime has always been perennial and universal problem of all societies in all ages. It blight or afflicts the society, eating away at the fabric of a nation. Life is impoverished for many by anxiety and fear as result of crime. The by-product of crime, beyond actual physical or material, loss, is fear. For many crime victims, it is the most burdensome and lasting consequence of their victimization. The fear of crime has many detrimental consequences. It makes people vulnerable and isolated, it reduces a person general sense of well being, and it also contributes to neighbourhood decline. The people most fearful to crime are the people most vulnerable to crime. These days, experts are asking whether most crimes could not be prevented in the first place, and are developing techniques and programmes designed to do just that. Society needs to be able to punish criminals, but it is equally important that would be criminals find it difficult to offend at all. For the disease of crime is better prevented than to be cured (Kerrigan, 2003).

Policing globally in recent times is characterized with changes in strategies that are in conformity with the universal norms and practices. It is important to note that police officers, with the intellectual contribution of criminologist and criminal justice researchers, have set out review current procedures and evaluate alternative programs that will replace the traditional policing model (Kerrigan, 2003).

The implementation of community policing goes a long way in changing the characteristics outlooks of the police. It is a renewed emphasis on crime prevention and control rather than law enforcement and can go hand in hand with the integration of policing with the community. The essence of these policing concepts is to return to the days when safety and security are participatory in nature, and everyone assumed the responsibility of well being of their community; not just selected few, not just safety forces, but absolutely everyone living in the community. It is a philosophy, a belief that working together, the police, the government and community can accomplish what neither can accomplish alone. The synergy that results from community policing can be powerful. It is like the power of a finely tuned athletic team, with each member contributing to the total efforts. Community policing is founded on the principle that in a democratic society, the police are entrusted by their fellow citizens to protect the public’s fundamental human rights to liberty, equality and justice under the law. This concept is characterized by the “Police service” rather than the “police force”, where the most significant benchmarks of performance are public satisfaction, trust and confidence. It is an evolution process that seeks to improve the quality of life, security and safety, and it reduces fear of crime. It makes things better for the society, by embracing improved models or strategies in crime prevention and control. The major keys to putting community policing into action are, communication, operation, coordination collaboration and change (Hess and Wroblesky, 2003).

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to investigate the Impact of Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention


1.3 Statement of Problem

In spite the efforts of various police administrations to curb crime in Nigeria, crime and social disorder in Nigeria, it is obvious that there is still persistence of crime in the country. Thousands of lives and millions of naira worth of property are being lost as a result of one crime or the other. Some believed that the inability of the Nigeria police to ensure maximum security in the country is as a result of so many social and technical challenges ranging from lack of necessary tools to curb crime in the community and lack of maximum cooperation by the people in the communities ( Dawn Newspaper, 2011).

Corruption in the Nigeria police force is fuelling abuses against ordinary citizens and severely undermining the rule of law in Nigeria on a daily basis. Numerous ordinary Nigerians have been accosted by countless armed police officers who specialized at demanding bribes and committing human rights abuses against by extorting money from them. These abuses range from ordinary arrest and unlawful detention to threats and acts of violence, including sexual assault, torture, and even extrajudicial killings (Human Rights Watch, 2010).

Police is not unique, corruption is now rampant in the Nigeria police force. Various issues of corruption concerning the commission have been seen and reported. However, the issue of corruption in the Nigeria police as noted above cannot be treated in isolation of the larger society. Corruption in the police is so prevalent that it has destroyed people’s trust and confidence they have in the police. Because of this prevalence of corruption in Nigeria and in the force, this study then aimed at investigating the effect of community policing on crime in Nigeria.


1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to investigate the Impact of Community Policing as a Strategy for Crime Prevention. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

  1. To identify the prevalence of community policing on crime reduction in Nigeria
  2. To determine the factors that affect community policing in Nigeria
  3. To inquire the efforts taken by the government to ensure better community policing in Nigeria
  4. To examine the effects of community policing by crime prevention and control
  5. To investigate how community policing helps in improving neighborhood’s security conditions.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

  • Is community policing a failure or a success?
  • Is community policing effective in crime prevention and control?
  • What is the perception and attitude of the public towards the police personnel’s and concept of community policing?
  • What is the overall impact of community policing in crime prevention and control?
  • How well has community Policing contributed in reforming the Nigeria Police?
  • What is the prevalence of community policing on crime reduction in Nigeria?

What are the factors that affect community policing in Nigeria?

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature Review

2.1 Introduction

This chapter focuses on the review of related literature. A literature review includes the current knowledge as well as theoretical and methodological contributions to a particular topic. It documents the state of the art with respect to the topic you are writing. It surveys the literature in the topic selected. In this research work the literature review includes the …

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