18/11/2011
Sometimes it is the way how we think about crime that is our biggest obstacle. By just looking at what we do as community ‘patrollers’ from a different perspective opens the path to a solution to crimes committed in the sector. What are we really dealing with?
1) A problem is the basic unit of the community patroller rather than a crime, calls, or incidents.
2) A problem is something that concerns or causes harm to our citizens, not just the sector forum. Things that concern only the community patroller and/or police officers are important, but they are not problems in the sense of the term.
3) Community sector forums must routinely and systematically analyse problems before trying to solve them. We must develop routines and systems for analysing problems, before we jump to our conclusions on how to handle them.
4) The analysis of problems must be thorough even though it may not need to be complicated.
5) Problems must be described precisely and accurately and broken down into specific aspects of the problem. Problems often aren’t what they first appear to be.
6) Problems must be understood in terms of the various interests at stake.
7) The way the problem is currently handled must be understood and the limit of effectiveness must be openly acknowledged in order to come up with a better response.
8) Initially, any and all possible responses to a problem should be considered so as not to cut short potentially effective responses. Suggested responses should follow from what is learned during the analysis. They should not be limited to, nor rule out, the use of patrols and/or arrest
9) The sector forum should pro-actively try to solve problems rather than just react to the harmful consequences of problems.
10) Be problem-oriented rather than crime dependant.