National Crime Prevention Strategies
National Crime Prevention Strategies are formulations of the necessary actions required to improve the safety and security within a country. These are usually developed by the police service in conjunction with other role players including civil society. The aim of a National Crime Prevention Strategies are usually multiple in character dealing with both the prevention and reduction of crime and insecurity, while simultaneously engaging social development agencies to address the root causes of crime and insecurity. In this manner, ensuring both a better individual and collective community life for all. It is increasingly recognised that the implementation of National Crime Prevention Strategies are viable mechanisms for improving national safety and security.
Mauritius Crime Trend Study
A SaferAfrica crime prevention project was designed and implemented in response to a request by the Mauritius Police Force to both gather information on crime trends and dynamics.
The Mauritius Crime Prevention study was a comprehensive and innovative approach to policing pioneered by the Mauritius police. It was designed to gather information that would lead to a profile of current crime trends as well as forecast future crime dynamics and changing crime patterns that might affect Mauritius. The ultimate goal of the study was to develop preventative capacity in Mauritius to fend off current and future crime trends, making the country one of the safest in the world.
The Mauritius Crime Prevention study was undertaken over a period of six months in early 2004 by the police in close association with experts from SaferAfrica. The project culminated in the development of the crime prevention strategy for the Mauritius Police Force. The study utilised a multi-faceted approach to collecting the required information by combining a number of different research tools.
The objectives of the study were to:
- Determine the nature and extent of crime in Mauritius. This would include determining the actual extent of those crimes, which were under reported to the police.
- Establish emerging crime trends in Mauritius. This would include crimes which the police were aware of but had not yet developed strategies for as well as those crimes which they are largely unaware of.
- Establish how the nature and extent of the crime in Mauritius as well as the emerging crime trends impact upon policing strategies. This part of the study would lead to the creation of, or would develop awareness of proactive policing methods to address current and future crime trends.
A set of four research tools were used to collect valid, reliable and contextually sensitive information to address the research questions listed above. These were:
- Docket Analysis: This entailed the systematic analysis of the information contained within a random selection 2385 police dockets to obtain information on the dynamics and nature of crime in Mauritius. To complement the information in the docket analysis, 398 victims of specific crimes as identified through the dockets were interviewed.
- Law Enforcement Workshops: This entailed four workshops including one in Rodriques comprising a range of law enforcement officials, including Divisional Commanders, Police, Customs Officials as well as representatives from Prisons, the Coast Guard and Judiciary. The information obtained from these law enforcement agencies was used to determine the trends in crime across recent years. At the workshop, 365 self-administered law enforcement surveys were completed.
- Civilian Survey: The civilian survey entailed the administration of 6993 opinion surveys amongst random members of the population of Mauritius to measure their experience of crime and their responses to crime. An opinion survey was also administered with 1262 civilians to determine their attitudes and perceptions of various crime related issues.
- Focus groups and in-depth interviews: This entailed gathering small discussion groups for the purposes of addressing some of the more sensitive questions surrounding crime and victimization. These issues may include the motive for the crime, experiences of the victim and dynamics of the crime.
The study is fundamentally a police document. It was commissioned by the police, undertaken by the police and of use to the police of Mauritius. Therefore, it is fundamentally a working tool at the service of the Mauritius Police Force.
For more information on the methodology applied in Mauritius and the final research product, refer to the publication The Mauritius Crime Survey (PDF) (Francais in PDF)
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