Restoring Police-Young People Relationships

Up until today, young people's concerns about crime and policing have largely been ignored. Despite young people being more likely to be the victims of crime than offenders, they have been vehemently sketched asa 'social problem'. The widespread use of alcohol and drugs among young people coupled with negative media portrayal led to an increase in the public's fear of crime, reaching historical levels. Consequently, and perhaps unsurprisingly, today's young people lack trust, confidence and satisfaction in the police, standing out as a neglected area for concern for policy makers. And undeniably, lack of confidence is one of the major reasons why young people are less likely to step forward when they are victimised. These corollaries must end if crimes are going to be reported and solved effectively.A great deal theoretical enthusiasm exists for the community policing philosophy, a style of policing which has been touted as the correct method in restoring police-public relations. I argue that through a greater emphasis on promising community policing schemes, young people's trust, faith and confidence in the police can be markedly improved, leading to young people's greater cooperation in policing and crime affairs. This is imperative for the benefit of wider society when one considers that co-operation can enhance the police's ability to tackle crime in a number of ways: aid the flow of intelligence to the police (making police work more effective), encourage young people to take ownership of social problems, and encourage 'self-policing' (helps communities develop informal social control)(Skogan et al, 1999, Rosenbaum et al, 1998, Shotland and Goodstein, 1984, Silver and Miller, 2004, Sunshine and Tyler, 2003). I conclude that issues involving young people should guide our actions from now on for the attainment of security and peace in an era which favours human rights.