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Kriminalprävention in Hessen: Bestandsaufnahme der Präventionsstruktur, Projektplanung und Kooperation in hessischen Kommunen

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2024-08-21

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Philipps-Universität Marburg
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Abstract

Community crime prevention aims to reduce crime and crime-related insecurity, or fear of crime. Community crime prevention also focuses on dismantling crime-promoting structures and promoting social cohesion. Community crime prevention is based on three pillars: local orientation, interdepartmental networking of all local actors relevant to the production of security, and citizen involvement. Traditionally, community crime prevention has focused on strengthening social control in residential areas or on structural measures to prevent crime, reduce crime opportunities or improve the quality of life. In addition, the concept of prevention through participation suggests that the psychological and sociological causes of aggressive behaviour should be taken into account and addressed preventively. Interdepartmental cooperation requires suitable implementation structures, which are published in appropriate recommendations, guidelines and support offers for the structuring of committees and the design of professional project work. The establishment of a steering group as a decision-making body, an office to ensure evidence-based, ongoing project work and, if necessary, working groups to involve a large number of actors have proved successful. In the present study, the 50 most populous municipalities in Hesse were surveyed about their crime prevention committee structure and prevention work. The survey followed the nationwide surveys by Schreiber (2007, 2019) and was based on the above-mentioned recommendations on organisational structure, project work and culture of cooperation. A two-part online survey was designed: First, respondents were asked whether crime prevention structures existed. If this was the case, the responsible representatives were asked detailed questions about the structure, project work and cooperation. The response rate was 70% for the first questionnaire and 85.3% for the second. Almost half of the participating municipalities reported that they had implemented the recommended committee structure and division of tasks between a steering group, an office and working groups. Children and young people were the main target groups for prevention work. However, young adults or refugees were hardly addressed as target groups, despite the current security challenge. In addition, relevant prevention actors, namely the judiciary, schools and independent organisations as well as citizens, were only marginally involved in prevention work. About three quarters of the municipalities reported that they carry out a data-based security analysis. The majority of municipalities reported that they have established a common understanding of security and interdepartmental cooperation. About half of the municipalities implemented at least some of the Beccaria standards of professional project work, for example by defining prevention objectives. Despite claims of evidence-based prevention, scientific institutions were only marginally involved in practical prevention work.

Keywords

Kommunale Kriminalprävention, inventory of prevention structures, Municipal crime prevention, Bestandsaufnahme Präventionsstrukturen

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https://open.uni-marburg.de/handle/10.17192/ed.2024.0003

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