Concerns, Underlying Causes and Questions themes from feedback in - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Concerns, Underlying Causes and Questions – themes from feedback in Homework #1

City of Tacoma Property Crimes Reduction Task Force

Meeting 2 November 18, 2015

Major Themes: Concerns

• Frequency of property crimes in City
• Safety implications for residents
• Lack of reporting of these crimes
• Lack of community awareness about the

problem and what residents can do to prevent crimes

Concerns also mentioned

• Insufficient police resources
• Incarceration may be a less effective

response than other approaches where mental health or addiction is involved.

• Value of things being stolen

Major Themes: Underlying Causes

• Lack of community engagement,

awareness, knowledge about how to respond/protect themselves

• Substance abuse
• Poverty– people need money
• Gangs, organized crime

Questions

• Questions about the situation in Tacoma
• What would improve the situation?
• What does “best practices” data suggest?
• Would this idea help improve the situation?

Questions about the situation in Tacoma

• Where/when/why are the crimes happening?
• How do people gain entry to homes?
• Where do the offenders live?
• What issues do they have (drug abuse, etc.)?
• Who are the victims?
• Why don’t people report crimes?
• What happens when people are arrested?
• What community partners may be interested in

helping out here?

Ideas presented as questions: Would this work?

• Community engagement
• Fund more community outreach and education
• Mobilize more neighborhood watch groups
• Find partners to assist: faith community,

insurance companies, Safe Streets

• City incentives to practice crime prevention
• Identify and educate on deterrent strategies
• Culturally relevant solutions

Ideas presented as questions: Would this work?

• City actions other than public safety
• Better lighting
• Close pawn shop loopholes
• Expand community based services

Ideas presented as questions: Would this work?

• Criminal justice system ideas
• More community oriented policing
• Encourage self-reporting
• Make it easier to self-report online
• Restorative justice practices
• DOC/Jails: programs to help incarcerated

individuals be successful upon release

• Ensure police officers know where to refer

people for help

• Increase priority for police, prosecutor response

Ideas presented as questions: Would this work?

• Other system responses
• Improve/expand mental health care treatment
• Improve/expand substance abuse treatment