Crime Rate in Centervale Essay

If one was to compare the crime in Centervale to that of Alaska or Alabama it would be clear that Centervale has the highest crime total. If one was to compare the crime rate it would be clear that Alabama has in fact the highest crime rate with Alaska and then Centervale sitting very close in numbers. Alabama has the highest population and Alaska has the lowest, but this would mean that Alabama would not be the safest place to live. In fact an individual would want to live in either Alaska or Centervale. Centervale has a lower aggravated assault rate than that of Alaska, but Alaska has a lower robbery rate that that of both Centervale and Alabama. When looking for a new place to locate its always a great decision to check out how a city, county, suburb, or state hold up against that of other similar places when it comes to crime. No one wants to live in a place where they are afraid to leave their homes. When looking at the actually numbers Centervale is the highest followed by Alabama and then Alaska, but if an individual was to look at the crime rate then it would appear that Alaska has the highest followed by Alabama and then Centervale, but both Alabama and Centervale are very close in rate percentage. Alaska has a problem with alcohol related crimes, whereas in other locations in the United States drugs and alcohol are secondary to the crime. Information Importance This kind of information is important due to the growing concern that most individuals and families have about the crime not only in their local neighborhoods, but also in places that they may be considering locating too. It’s also important to find out what programs are in place to keep the crime rate reduced. Each neighborhood has some sort of program in place to help keep children and adolescents occupied so they are less likely to go out and commit a crime, but crime doesn’t always involve children and adolescents. Crime can and is often committed by adults. Read more:  India Crime Rate Most communities have an early childhood development program in place. It’s been stated by Paul Leighton (2007), that children enrolled in this program have â€Å"half as many criminal arrests, less likelihood of going to jail, higher earnings and property wealth, and a greater commitment to family†. There are also drug treatment, recreation, gang- prevention, education, special curricula, job training, and the labor market (Leighton, 2007). When moving to a new community an individual can call around to find what programs have been put into place to reduce the crime rate and what else can be done to help reduce the crime. Parents with small children wish to make sure that they are bringing their children to a safe environment with programs set in place to help the children and adolescents occupied after school. Definitions of Crime Crime is defined as â€Å"the act or the commission of an act that is forbidden or the omission of a duty that is commanded by a public law and that makes the offender liable to punishment by that law† (Merriam-Webster, 2013). Alabama and Alaska differ when it comes to crime punishment. Alaska abolished its capital punishment in 1957, but has since then tried to reintroduce it to no avail. Alabama on the other hand does have capital punishment and certain crimes can lead to the death penalty. These crimes are capital murder charges, rape, robbery, and burglary. Alaska imprisons their convicted criminals for either short period of times to life. In both states children and adolescents are charged as juveniles unless found to have committed an adult crime such as murder (non-accidental), robbery that ends up with loss of life or assault or rape. Rape charges can be difficult to try depending on the age of the child or adolescents and how much understanding of the charges and their understanding of right and wrong. Charging children in an adult court can be difficult to do since their understanding and reasoning is far different and underdeveloped than that of an adult. Recommendations Recommendations to help reduce the crime rate would to beef up the police and special crime units to help get a grasp on the crime in the state. Have better programs put into place within the prisons/jails. This will give a positive opportunity and outlet for the prisoners so they will not wish to reoffend. Allow employers that wish to hire ex-convicts the opportunity to sit down with the convict prior to their release. This will give the individual something positive to look forward to and a better outlook on life. Have programs set up for ex-cons along with programs set up for those who may need a positive outlet. Ex-cons need the structure to help them adapt better to outside life than to be just â€Å"dumped† on the streets after their sentence with the hopes of not reoffending. Many individuals feel they have nothing â€Å"outside† so why even try. In many cases this is true, the individuals family and or friends have given up on them or they have a difficult time finding a job, so they do what they believe is the only thing left and this causes them to reoffend. Conclusion In conclusion crime is a scary thing for any family or individual, but with careful consideration and knowing the facts needed one can make the correct decision. Many criminals that are within the prison/jail system are those who have reoffended, but due to the unknown these individuals tend to end back up within the system. Families and friends of those ex-cons need to be there for the individual for emotional support. Those who don’t have the proper support feel alone and often believe they need to be back where they were. References Crime in the United States. U.S. Department of Justice (2009). Retrieved from http://www2.fbi.gov/ucr/cius2009/data/table_05.html What Every American Should Know About the Criminal Justice System. Leighton, Paul (2007). Stop Violence. Retrieved from http://stopviolence.com/cj-knowledge.htm Merriam-Webster. Crime (2013). Retrieved from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/crime