Question
POLICY PROPOSAL PROJECT INSTRUCTIONS
You have been elected mayor of the imaginary city of Pleasantville and are tasked with solving the crime problem. Design and present a policy proposal that will holistically address the issue. It is not essential that you come up with an original idea. As we will learn in this course, there are several practices and programs that have been found to work in preventing crime and delinquency. You are encouraged to replicate these programs (as long as you correctly describe their components, their theoretical rationale, and their evaluation outcomes).
Individual Paper:
Your paper must coincide with your assigned role as mayor, but the content of your paper may be broader. Your paper must answer the following questions:
1. What is the problem your policy suggestions aim to address?
2. Is there empirical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of the crime preventions strategy you propose to implement?
You may propose a fairly specific program (e.g. Drug Abuse Resistance Education), a closely related set of programs (e.g., mentoring programs, family training programs), or a more loosely related set of programs (e.g., the war on drugs, gun control).
Outline the strategy you select and describe the strategy. Discuss the rationale or theoretical justification behind the strategy, the extent to which the strategy has been implemented, evidence on the effectiveness of the strategy, and any special disadvantages or advantages associated with the strategy (e.g., is it expensive, does it violate rights, does it have positive outcomes on other variables besides crime and delinquency, and your recommendations, etc.).
Include the following details:
1. The paper must be 3–5 pages. There is no need to include a running head.
2. Include a title page.
3. Include in-text citations and a reference section at the end of your paper using current APA style.
4. Your crime prevention policy proposal must come from a biblical perspective. This must be incorporated throughout your paper rather than simply citing Scripture references at the end. Generally, you must incorporate a biblical perspective and use a specific Scripture or passage of Scripture as your in-text citation.
Sample paper
Crime prevention proposal
Concerning the characteristics and extent of crime in the world today, the different media outlets have significantly played part in the modification of the facts and fictions about criminal activities. As a result, concepts regarding the origin of criminal behavior of adults and the youths have been widely distorted making it hard for security agencies to fight crimes effectively and successfully. A crime widely constitutes of unlawful acts that are punishable by the state or other authority bestowed in the country to fight crime. Crime is always established in the sinful characteristic of humankind and encompasses acting opposite to God’s standard laws revealed by his servant in the Holy Scriptures. Perpetration comes under the authority of the state or civil authorities while all crimes as outlined by the Bible and other religious books as sins and should be punishable by the law put in place (“Ideas, Institutions and Situational Crime Prevention,” n.d.,). Criminologists believe that criminals purposely choose their course of activities long before they participate in crime. Therefore, to successfully prevent delinquency and the increase rate of crime, there is the need to appeal to the attitudes and mentality of the youths and adults in an attempt to convince them to change their ways. Crime prevention largely focuses on formulating strategies and plans to deter crime and criminals. This assignment will largely focus on different strategies that a community or a security agency can employ to completely deter or reduce chances and opportunities for people to commit a crime.
In the recent years, crime is increasingly becoming a menace that each country faces and attempts to fight. Research indicates that society has direct impact in creating and developing criminals thus forcing the government and other agencies to impose many laws to curb the crime rate and make the world a better habitable place to live in although the results are not always pleasing. Different nations fight perpetration in different ways with different levels of success. To effectively and successfully fight crime, it is necessary to understand what causes crime and what lead to the development of criminal behaviors in people. One of the best ways to curb criminal activities in a society is through building youth mentoring programs. According to the biblical perspective, preaching to the sinners and criminals is the best and most effective way to fight crime. Thus, through creation, development, and implementation of youth mentoring programs, the organizers can incorporate biblical teachings and be preaching in the attempt of bringing up the youths in a religious manner that discourages crime in the society. Mentorship comprises of activities of experienced and more knowledgeable individuals helping to guide the less experienced and less knowledgeable individuals, in this case, the youths or children. Mentoring is an effective tool to prevent youth violent and drug abuse which are the main causes of increase in crime in most parts of the globe (“Mentoring Programs Significantly Improve Outcomes For Youth: Studies Find Quality Mentoring Programs Can Enhance Youth Outcomes, But Poor Mentoring Relationships Can Harm Youth,” n.d.,). Statistics clearly indicates that through mentorship there is a significant reduction in the number of reported cases number of youths participating in criminal activities. Mentorship programs help to connect individuals with particular skills and knowledge with persons who need these skills and knowledge to improve their lives and influence their attitudes and mentality. Often, all the participants share their beliefs and personal objectives in a reciprocally respectful, supportive manner that prompts both parties to live a more enriched life.
For many youths, having an older or a senior person to talk to and spend time with as well as someone who provides encouragement and friendship makes the difference between criminals and successful youths. With a sensible senior who is ready to lend the youths a shoulder on which they can lean on, there is a high chance that they will not become involved with drugs and develop the strength and self-confidence to resist peer pressure. The Bible in the book of Proverbs has widely encouraged the youths to heed and act on the bits of advice they get from their seniors be it, parents or spiritual parents. Proverbs 15:5 states that a fool despises his father’s instructions and advises but whoever heeds reproof is prudent. Youths who participate in mentoring programs have a low probability, and likelihood to experiment with drugs, reduces the aggression of these youths physically and stands a low chance of skipping school and other teaching programs than their counterparts (Mekinda & Hirsch, n.d.). Through the creation, development, and implementation of mentoring programs to prevent crime, the mentors provide the all important and extra support that is lacking in most youths as they try to find their way in life. Mentorship programs are successful since they provide encouragement and guidance to the participants especially the youths. There are many advantages and benefits of a mentoring program that are likely to change the lives of the youths with the mentality and intentions of experimenting with drugs. Such benefits include:
- Mentoring project creates more opportunities and understanding for educators and trainers previously inaccessible due to many roadblocks, prejudices or lack alternatives.
- Mentor projects provide an affordable, quick way to pass valuable skills, moral values, and information, from one individual to another.
- Often, mentoring projects that specializes in youth counseling, individuals from outside this age group daily environment cooperate to repair and perfect a youth’s circumstance, to give the society a stake in her or his future life.
- Adults woodcraft are the best form of raising the children that includes the advancement of a usefulness state with the youths, the chance to give an account of personal experiences and history without the pressures of being legally responsible (Walker, n.d., p.).
Civil authorities globally categorize various activities and behaviors as criminal which are not according to most religious books including the Holy Scriptures and worshiping God. Mentoring is a powerful tool for building confidence, leadership skills and engagement with youths, which improves their personal safety, increases their engagement with the community and reduces risks and antisocial behavior. Additionally, psychologists believe that it is easy to change the mentality and attitude as well as the point of view of children between the ages of 1 to 10 compared to adults (“Ideas, Institutions and Situational Crime Prevention,” n.d.,). Thus, by creating youth’s crime prevention mentoring programs, there is a high chance that the society will be in a position to curb the increase in crime in the society compared to changing the adult. By identifying the root cause of increased crime in the society which is a lack of guidance and advice as well as mentorship from the seniors, there is a high chance of successfully curbing crime. Therefore, the government and security agencies should strive to build an effective peer mentoring programs in schools and other training institutions to make sure that their emotional, mental and physical needs are fully attended and satisfied.
References
Ideas, Institutions and Situational Crime Prevention. (n.d.). Ethical and Social Perspectives on Situational Crime Prevention. doi:10.5040/9781472562258.ch-001
Mekinda, M. A., & Hirsch, B. J. (n.d.). After-School Programs. Handbook of Youth Mentoring, 221-232. doi:10.4135/9781412996907.n15
Mentoring Programs Significantly Improve Outcomes For Youth: Studies Find Quality Mentoring Programs Can Enhance Youth Outcomes, But Poor Mentoring Relationships Can Harm Youth. (n.d.). PsycEXTRA Dataset. doi:10.1037/e480762006-001
Walker, G. (n.d.). Youth Mentoring and Public Policy. Handbook of Youth Mentoring, 510-524. doi:10.4135/9781412976664.n34
