Redevelopment program for the community

Posted: August 13th, 2013

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Criminal Justice

Redevelopment program for the community

Introduction

In urban affairs over the years there has been a significant concern and focus on issues relating to crime. Most cities in the Midwestern region like Chicago have had increases in crime rate, and have shown increased need of attention in terms of implementation of strategies that shall curb the insecurity.

Theories

Social structure theories show the connection between social structure and crime. Branches include, social disorganization theory, which focuses on conditions in the environment, including deteriorating neighborhoods, inadequate social control and gangs. The other branch is the strain theory, which focuses on the inability of various people to meet their needs. The cultural deviance theory combines the strain and social disorganization theories (Williams 67).

Redevelopment program

Justifying poverty with crime is not necessarily a correct notion, bearing in mind that most countries in the world are less developed than the U.S.A but do not have as much criminal activity in their urban areas. Even with this in mind, we realize that, in the U.S.A crime is central to the lower class areas than the upper class areas. Policies should therefore be formulated in order to reduce crime in the urban areas (Evans 76).

Poverty and gangs

Gangs are mostly concentrated in urban areas, and their primary goal is defending their turf from outsiders. These gangs are mostly involved in most criminal activities that take place in their turf, which are mostly racially centered. Most of the members, just as the social anomie theory states, are products of there being a gap in the social stratification of the society so that these members of the gangs who are mostly young, can find ways of satisfying their needs.

Revitalization and crime reduction

In order to reduce the crime in urban areas, civic education must be conducted in order to sensitize the people. The people should accept government help and understand it as not being a ploy to destroy their community. The residents should also be made ready to work with the government towards this objective (Draper 123).

Public and private sector involvement

The private sector should be involved in crime reduction through corporate social responsibilities, by sponsoring the minority to participate in social activities such as sports. These provide an opportunity for people to vent out their frustrations. This will provide an opportunity for sensitization and civic education. The public sector should provide opportunities, funding for community-based investments to alleviate poverty in crime areas, provide security, and come up with effective policies on crime reduction.

Programs to help break the cycle of urban poverty

These programs include provision of social amenities in the urban areas, such as schools, hospitals, better housing, provision of low interest loans, and increasing law enforcement to attract investors. Affirmative action should be put in place to facilitate the economic gains especially within the minorities (Hancock 56).