Building safer societies: Crime prevention in developed countries

TLDR: In this paper, the authors argue that crime and crime prevention are too important to the social health of European countries to be ignored, and that no European country can afford not to invest in crime prevention programmes and to create national strategies incorporating law enforcement, developmental, situational, and community components.

Abstract: Crime and crime prevention are too important to the social health of European countries to be ignored. Law enforcement has a central and important role to play, but by itself will not be enough. As economic pressures resulting from the restructuring of global markets and the move toward a single currency in Europe create greater uncertainties and stress for Europeans, the possibilities of rising crime rates and rising anti-minority sentiments are substantial. No European country can afford not to invest in crime prevention programmes and to create national strategies incorporating law enforcement, developmental, situational, and community components.