Crime Control Programs in Alabama
Crime control programs in Alabama
Introduction
A senator refers to an individual elected by the majority of people in a constituent district within a state. He/she represents and serves the interest of the people that elected him/her to ensure that their interests are known and attended to by the state government. All senators in the United States are tasked by the constitution and electorate to formulate and amend various laws that will regulate and protect the interests of the people they represent (Simon, 2009). They are equally involved in approving the appointment of major government officers to ensure that they are highly qualified professionals and that they are men and women of high integrity. Senators are bestowed the power to endorse various treaties that their states enter with other states to ensure that those treaties are enforceable (Barak, 2000).
Crime control programs in Alabama
Crime has continually an issue of concern in Alabama, which is one of the fifty states in the United States, and this has called for urgent control measures that can help to reduce crime. As the senator for this state, there are various areas that I would like to see the governor including in his budget to ensure that they will be funded to help control crime. Rehabilitation programs are among the major areas that I would like to see being funded to help control crime in Alabama. Such programs would include drug rehabilitation programs that can be used to rehabilitate drug abusers to help them change their behaviors and become responsible people (Hughes, 1998). This would equally lower various crimes associated with drug abuse that includes petty theft to cold blood murder. The programs would equally help to curb deviance perpetrated by drug abuse among school-going teenagers, as these are often involved in various criminal cases that include stealing, destruction of properties and even loss of lives (Simon, 2009). Rehabilitation will ensure treatment for various drug addicts, thereby enabling them to stop continued abuse of various drugs, which itself is a criminal activity. This can significantly reduce the demand and supply of drugs within the state, which can in return promote increased security and serenity in Alabama. Rehabilitation programs can equally include family therapy, which is a program that is aimed at offering a friendly environment to disputing families to enable them find amicable solutions to their problems (Barak, 2000). Family therapy will enable families to get more united and avoid engaging in various forms of violence that contribute to numerous injuries among couples and children that amount to criminal acts. This will ultimately decrease cases of domestic violence among couples and children, which has led to cases of death and fatal injuries. Various criminals will equally be offered free counseling that will enable them to adopt healthy behaviors that will lead to a comprehensive behaviour change. This in return will ensure that criminals within the counseling program will not repeat their criminal acts and will influence their peers not to be engaged in criminal acts. This will ultimately reduce crime rate, as potential criminals will be tamed through effective and regular counseling. This program therefore requires urgent funding by the Alabama state government as it will greatly reduce criminal acts by ensuring that potential criminals are effectively rehabilitated (Hughes, 1998).
Community policing is another important program that I would like to see being funded as it will enable the members of various communities and neighborhoods to participate directly in containing criminal activities. Through this program, Alabama residents and law enforcement agencies will form several community policing programs within the neighborhoods that will ensure that crime is addressed through joint efforts (Simon, 2009). This crime control strategy is renowned for its effectiveness as it enables members of a given community to work hand in hand with the law enforcement agencies (Hughes, 1998). This ensures that the community helps law enforcement agencies to easily identify any criminal activity as well as various criminal elements that would be difficult to identify if only the law enforcement agencies were involved. Community policing ensures that resources from the residents, police and the entire government can easily and effectively be utilized to control crime. This program enables the community and the law enforcement agencies to identify various urgent and most sensitive security issues within the community that requires immediate attention to ensure that law and order is maintained. It equally enhances healthy relationships between law enforcement agencies and the local residents. This ensures that the local residents do not fear reporting cases of crimes occurring within their neighborhood (Simon, 2009). The program would equally enable community members to be sensitized on their role in maintaining law and order within their community. This would therefore empower and informs members of the community of their expectations towards crime control. This program will thus offer drastic changes relating to security in Alabama, and as such, it will require sufficient funding by the Alabama state government to ensure its consistent functioning and existence (Barak, 2000).
Correctional education is another important program that Alabama State needs to implement to ensure that criminal acts are significantly reduced. This program includes vocational training and literacy development that equips convicted criminals with various skills that can make them employable while gaining skills that can enable them start various businesses. Vocational training involves acquisition of various skills that include repair of appliances and making of furniture while literacy development involves improving various basic educational skills like mathematics. According to Barak (2000), correctional education significantly reduces the rates of criminal re-arrest and re-conviction. This is due to the fact that lack of employment among most criminal convicts serves as a great motivation to committing criminal acts. Increased education and skills therefore enables people to secure jobs and open businesses that enable them to earn more income. It therefore becomes very hard for such people to engage in various criminal acts as they can satisfy their basic needs through legal jobs and businesses (Hughes, 1998). This will therefore help the state of Alabama to contain various criminals from repeating illegal acts, as they will be empowered with various skills that they can use to earn income. The state of Alabama will therefore require to set aside substantial funding to start and expand correctional education within various prisons and correctional facilities within the state. This funding will equally enhance purchase of various equipments and hiring of various professional that will ensure that this program is operational (Barak, 2000).
Conclusion
The State of Alabama requires urgent programs that will significantly control criminal activities. Rehabilitation program is one of the major programs that will ensure that various criminal convicts and drug abusers conducts are contained. This will ensure that they are equipped with vital counseling that will inculcate positive behaviors that will reduce criminal acts. Community policing is another vital program that will enable the state of Alabama to engage various law enforcement agencies and residents to counter criminal acts together. This will make it easy for criminals to be identified as well as stop emerging criminal trends within the Alabama neighborhood. Correctional education is a major program that will enable the state of Alabama to control crime, as various convicted criminals will be equipped with skills and knowledge that will enable them to secure jobs. Such jobs would enable them to earn income in a genuine manner that ultimately reduces criminal acts within the state.
References
Barak, G. (2000). Crime and Crime Control: A Global View, Westport, CT, Greenwood Press.
Hughes, G. (1998). Understanding Crime Prevention: Social Control, Risk, and Late Modernity, Philadelphia, Open University Press.
Simon, G. (2009). Crime Reduction and Community and Community Safety: Labour and the Politics of Local Crime Control, British Journal of Community Justice, 7(1): 12-50.