There are four dimensions of community policing: philosophical, strategic, tactical, and organizational. Community policing is defined as involving three key components: developing community partnerships, engaging in problem solving, and implementing community policing organizational features. Explore the tabs below for more information on these central components of community policing. The central goal of community policing is for police to build relationships with the community, including through local agencies to reduce social disorder. The main purpose of community policing aims to reduce low-level crime, but the broken windows theory proposes that this can reduce serious crimes as well. What is the meaning of CRIME? Crime is an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. What to Do If You See A Crime Taking Place? 1. Protect yourself. Run, call for help, or hide. ... 2. Help others. Offer first aid to anyone who's injured. 3. Call for help. As soon as possible, dial 911 to report the crime and to summon medical and law enforcement help. 4. Don't touch or move anything. ... 5. Pay attention. ... 6. Wait for the police. You should report the incident to the police as soon as possible; this can prevent valuable evidence from being lost or destroyed. It may also help them catch the offender and prevent another person from being harmed. Don't be afraid to go to the police. If you witness a crime, are you obligated to report it to the police? What if ... Can you be criminally charged if you do nothing at all? ... present at the scene of the crime to be charged under what is known as “accomplice liability. RUN AWAY TEENS: A runaway is a minor (someone under the age of 18) who leaves home without a parent's or guardian's permission, and is gone from the home overnight. Each year, many teenagers run away from home. ... A runaway is a minor (someone under the age of 18) who leaves home without a parent's or guardian's permission, and is gone from the home overnight. In most states, running away is not a crime; however, runaways and their parents or guardians can face legal consequences. Getting Help Before Running Away Risk Factors for Running Away family dynamics (divorce, remarriage, problems with siblings, foster care) abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, verbal) and neglect alcohol and drug use suicidal tendencies and self-harm medical and mental health conditions, and conflict about sexual orientation or identity. Police Can Detain Runaways Running away is generally not a crime, but as just described, it is a status offense in some states. Regardless of whether a particular state recognizes running away as a status offense, police can always take runaways into custody. The options available to police include: returning them home convincing their parents or guardians to temporarily let them stay with friends or family taking them to a shelter for runaways, or briefly holding them at a juvenile detention facility. Parents or legal guardians can report a runaway to the police at any time. Encouraging or Hiding a Runaway Is Against the Law Most states have laws against "harboring" runaways. These laws make it a crime for adults to encourage minors to run away, or to hide runaways from their parents or legal guardians. For example, an adult cannot: encourage a minor who is not being abused to run away or stay away from home prevent a runaway from calling home or the authorities, or lie to a runaway's parents or the authorities about the runaway's location. Prosecutors can also charge irresponsible adults with contributing to the delinquency of a minor if the adult encourages or allows the minor to be involved in criminal behavior, including the use of alcohol or illegal drugs. Runaways have an elevated risk of destructive behavior. Approximately fifty percent of runaways experience difficulties with schooling; including dropping out, expulsion, or suspension. Running away can increase the risk of delinquency for adolescents, and expose them to the risk of victimization. When a teen runs away from home he/she starts to do the following: Drugs and alcohol. Often, runaways use alcohol or drugs to mask their pain and enable them to tolerate the things they have to do to survive. ... Homelessness. The longer young people stay on or around the streets, the more detached they become from society. ... Crime. ... Mental health problems. Sexual abuse and exploitation With no money and nobody to turn to, young runaways are extremely vulnerable to adults who might try to exploit them. Being offered somewhere to stay and something to eat may feel like a lifeline to a child who is frightened and alone, but for some children such offers of help come with a heavy price to be paid. 'Off the Radar', our study of 103 children who had run away from home, found that just under a fifth had experienced sexual exploitation. Drugs and alcohol Often, runaways use alcohol or drugs to mask their pain and enable them to tolerate the things they have to do to survive. Every single one of the young people who were interviewed for the 'Off the Radar' study had used drugs and alcohol to some degree. Homelessness The longer young people stay on or around the streets, the more detached they become from society. Many have a severe mistrust of adults and often go on to become homeless as they get older. They can end up on a slippery slope of emergency accommodation, moving around and, finally, living on the streets. Crime Some children turn to crime to survive. They're often used to run drugs across cities or forced to shoplift. However, it's more common for runaways to become victims of crime. More than two out of three children in 'Off the Radar' had fallen victim to violence on the streets. Mental health problems Many children who run away say they weren't being heard, or that they suffer from low selfesteem. Once they're on the streets, they're often ignored or moved on - a daily reminder that they're worthless. And dealing with the stress of living rough and trying to survive soon takes its toll. So it's not surprising that over two thirds of children interviewed for 'Off the Radar' said they'd had mental health problems. Breakdowns in children's relationships with their parents are often a factor in running away and can lead to problems like depression.
