Crime prevention is one of the most critical elements of a successful, prosperous society. At Empower Mississippi, we are committed to advancing evidence-based policies that promote public safety through effective crime prevention.
In honor of Crime Prevention Month, here are 7 ways to help prevent crime in Mississippi:
- Parents, teachers, church leaders, public officials: Teach and demonstrate moral responsibility, proper respect for authority, and appropriate ways to challenge those in power who use that power improperly.
- Properly fund law enforcement and ensure that the money is used to attract, pay well, and properly train officers. Then implement community-based policing approaches that have been shown in Dallas, Miami, and other unexpected places to reduce crime, in part by building strong relationships of trust and cooperation between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve. This approach encourages the community to play an active role in crime prevention.
- When crime prevention fails initially, ensure that justice is “swift and sure” to discourage future crimes by letting people know that if they commit a crime, they will be apprehended quickly and punished appropriately. This requires adequate police and judicial capacity: qualified police officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys (including public defenders), judges, and habitable jail space, all of which are now in short supply.
- Enhance programs that prepare those in prison to transition successfully back into the community and not commit another crime. Most people who commit crimes after leaving prison do so within the first year, often because they go back to the same circumstances they left. Job and life skills training, addiction and mental health treatment, and other types of support allow them to re-enter society as productive citizens, less likely to return to the lifestyle that led them to prison and less likely to see crime as their only means to support themselves and their families.
- Enable a strong economy with adequate job or entrepreneurial opportunities to provide sufficient income for families.
- Work with churches and other community organizations to address underlying issues, such as addiction, mental illness, and homelessness.
- Make it possible for students to gain a love for learning and to direct their creativity and imagination to productive rather than criminal uses. This means offering education options to match their needs and interests, rather than forcing them into a one-size-fits-all structure.
