Crime Prevention in Criminal Justice System Research Paper

Crime Prevention in Criminal Justice System - Research Paper Example There are a variety of methods that authorities use to deal with and prevent crime, the common one being incarceration of criminals in jails and other rehabilitation centers, which has not proved effective in Springfield. Therefore, to deal with crime on the long term, a risk-focused approach offers better results in that the method deals with possible factors that would lead to crime. Crime rates in Springfield, IL Springfield is one of the areas that lead in crime rates across US and has been ranked as the third most dangerous area in the entire country (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2012). Springfield has a population of 206, 601 residents, one of the less populated metropolitan areas that have surpassed many areas in the level of reported crimes. In 2010, there were reported 855 violent crimes per 100,000 residents in Springfield IL, which made the metropolitan the third highest dangerous city in the US after Detroit and Memphis. Giuoffo noted that Springfield has an unemploym ent rate of less than the country’s average of 7% as of July 2011, implying that unlike other areas, economy in the city may not be blamed for the high crime rate as the city is above average compared to many other cities. The metropolitan has a young population, that 66% of all residents are 44 years old or younger, which has been perceived as a contributing factor to the high crime rate (Giuffo, 2011). In addition, the city has high usage of methamphetamine, a prevalent drug across the area. All the same, a law was passed in the last few years that made it difficult to buy the drugs, which according to FBI has considerably reduced the crime rates (FBI, 2012). In addition to drug use, Springfield has a much poorer neighborhood in the city’s suburbs that has been blamed for the high rate of crime in the metropolitan. Consequently, indications are that crime rates in Springfield have soared due to a young population, use of hard drugs and a poor neighborhood. Generally, Springfield, IL in 2011 had a total population of 210,802 residents with a crime rate of 711.6 per 100, 000 residents. The city had a lower murder rate at 4.3, with property crime rates, burglary and larceny theft recorded at 4,290.8, 1,118.1 and 3,034.1 per 100,000 residents respectively (FBI, 2012 Abilene in Texas has a population of 168,729 slightly less than Springfield with the rate of violent crimes recorded at 297.5 per 100,000 residents. Property crime in this area is highest at 3,029.7 per 100,000 residents with murder being the lowest at 3.0 per 100,000 residents (FBI, 2012). On the contrary, Alexandria, LA has a population of 155,330 residents with a crime rate of 662 per 100,000 residents. The highest crime in this area is property crimes at 4.050.7 and the lowest crime being murder at 5.0 per 100,000 residents. On the same note, Appleton in Wisconsin has a total population of 226,649 residents with the crime rate being 509.5 per 100,000 residents. The highest crime in the area is property crime at 4,271.3 with the lowest crime being murder at a relatively higher rate of 11.8 per 100,000 residents. Comparing this data to the national statistics, the national violent crime rate was at 386.3 per