Crime Stoppers

Crime Stoppers

In the United States, crime has always been a complicated issue. Additionally, preventing and solving crime is an even more obscure issue, as there is much disagreement over whether which method is the best at preventing society from crime and criminals, as well as protecting local neighborhoods. A very important factor that can help solve crime in certain areas is communication between the police force and local citizens. Thankfully, there are programs designed to help bring community citizens and local police forces together in order to help solve crime and make the community a safer place. One of these programs is called “Crime Stoppers.”

Crime Stoppers was first initiated by a police officer in Albuquerque, New Mexico, whom designed the program to help citizens become more willing to provide information on criminal activity to police officers without fear by offering cash rewards and anonymity (Davis, Lurigio & Rosenbaum, 1998, p. 66). The Crime Stoppers program now offers many benefits to its community. To begin with, according to Crime Stoppers International statistics until April 1997, Crime Stoppers has been responsible for 634,106 felony cases with a 99% conviction rate. (Davis, Lurigio & Rosenbaum, 1998, pg. 68). Additionally, the program allows citizens to participate in cleaning up their community from crime and take an active approach into protecting their neighborhoods.

However, with every programs upsides, there are also down sides to go along with it and Crime Stoppers is no different. Rosenbaum and his associates (1998) stated that there are six complaints of the Crime Stoppers program. The first complaint states that citizens already have an obligation to report crime, and the money rewards system that Crime Stoppers implies that a citizen should accept prizes for doing their civic duty (Davis, Lurigio & Rosenbaum, 1998, p. 69). The second complaint is that the cash rewards system and anonymity of the Crime...