Introduction
The well-being and peaceful state of a society depend on the nature of community safety intervention measures adopted not only by law enforcement agents within that community but also by the society itself. This is because, although law enforcing agents or safety maintaining bodies, for example, fire stations may put in place measures to prevent the occurrence of accidents, health hazards and crimes, the overall role of ensuring such intervention measures succeed depends on society members’ willingness to cooperate with such bodies.
It is important to note that, in any societal setting occurrence of deviant behaviors and accidents is a common phenomenon hence, the need for a society to implement measures necessary to deal with such accidents and deviant behaviors any time they occur. Implementation of such measures is of great significance to a community for it helps to ensure that any act of deviance or accident does not disturb a society’s patterns of living, modes of operation, and peaceful coexistence (National Community Safety Network 1)
Primarily the practice of community safety entails the overall process of preventing, minimizing, or alleviating chances of activities occurring that are likely to jeopardize the peaceful coexistence of a society or threaten peoples’ societal rights. Besides, community safety involves the practice of offering assistance to individuals with specific unsociable behaviors as a mechanism of ensuring they cope with their mental and social conditions.
Depending on the forces behind the occurrence of such activities, such activities can be environmentally, socially, or politically driven hence, the need for cooperation between all individuals in a society. Through co-operation, a society can receive the desired guidance, funding, and help from governmental and non-governmental organizations hence, not only helping itself to combat occurrences of deviant behaviors but also helping the government deal with crime and other societal issues. In it important to note that enforcing community safety measures is a function of not only the local authority, but rather it involves all societal members, who include local authorities, academicians, and any individuals involved actively in combating crime and accidents (National Community Safety Network 1).
Community Safety Issues and their Solutions
For communities to deal properly with any safety threats that surround them, it is of great significance for such communities to firstly identify any safety issues, which are of great risk to its existence. Through early identification of such threats, individuals can be able to formulate not only individual mechanisms of dealing with such threats but also it will give them a chance of collaborating with others and seeking higher-order intervention measures from local authorities. It is important to note that the practice of ensuring society is safe should be a collaborative activity because safety threats are not selective but, rather they affect the entire society in many different ways.
Domestic Violence
One primary community safety issue that affects society is domestic violence. Domestic violence is one of the primary safety issues that are of great concern to many societies. Since time memorial, although societies have come up with measures of dealing with domestic violence, this is one of the most unpunished crimes in societies because most abused individuals do not report their abusers to the authorities.
Globally, more than 40% of women deaths occur annually as a result of domestic violence; a number that increases with an increase in suicide cases associated with domestic violence. The majority of battered individuals suffer silently due to fear of intimidation, a fact that increases most battered individuals’ suffering hence, the suicidal tendencies of most domestic violence victims.
One primary reason why domestic violence is one of the primary threat to society is that, unlike other forms of abuse that cause physical harm, its effects are not only physical, but also they are psychological, emotional, economic, and of great harm to an individual’s sense of being. Perpetrators of domestic violence are many ranging from spouses, both nuclear and extended family members, and in some cases caretakers (Advocates for Human rights 1).
Although in most cases, most individuals associate domestic violence with adults, the practice affects young children very much, them being primary recipients of effects resulting from family breakages and problems. In addition to children, as research studies indicate, animals are not either spared when it comes to domestic violence, as some individuals sometimes vent their anger on animals. Primary causes of this form of violence include marital problems, alcoholism, and drug abuse; practices that pose may other security threats to the peaceful coexistence and integration of a society.
Therefore, because of the aggression associated with the practice, in most cases effects resulting from the abuse are very fatal and devastating hence, making it necessary for a society to have appropriate measures of dealing with the practice. Common effects of domestic violence include increased susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections, chronic pains, psychological trauma, and death, in most untamed cases (Pallito 1-7).
Considering the death of effects resulting from domestic violence, it is of great significance for society to work in close collaboration with local authorities in dealing with domestic violence. It is because, through close collaborations, chances of unreported cases going unpunished are minimal, as a result of individuals ensuring their neighbors have the required protections. It is important to note that, although men are victims of domestic violence, the majority of the sufferers are women and young children; they being the most vulnerable members of society.
Therefore, to deal with the problem adequately, there is a need for the formulation of prevention and early intervention measures necessary for offering the required justice to sufferers of domestic violence. Common strategies of dealing with domestic violence include formulating reporting mechanisms, offering training and education opportunities to the vulnerable members of the society, and offering the necessary support to victims of abuse. In addition to this, there is a need for the government in collaboration with organizations that deal with domestic violence to give employers guidelines necessary to ensure workstations are free from domestic violence and employee intimidation (Suffolk County Council 1).
Child Safety
Child safety is another community safety issue that is of great concern to any societal member. Children are the most vulnerable group to most crime perpetrators because, in most cases, they are easy to convince and lure into traps. In addition to them being easily convincible, with the current technological innovations and because of the availability of computers and internet connections in most homes, most children are victims of internet crimes, for example, bullying and kidnappings.
On the other hand, most school transport services are easily susceptible to gang attacks because of the lack of required security patrol systems in some communities. It is important to note that child safety encompasses all safety measures within and outside the schools and homes because even within school premises, there exist many safety issues that administrations should take note of. For example, in dealing with an emergency, an outbreak of a fire, or a deadly infection, a school must ensure it has in place measures necessary for ensuring it averts risks associated with the spreading of such a calamity (National Association of School Psychologists 1).
In addition to safety in learning institutions, child abuse is another society practice that greatly jeopardizes greatly child safety. As research studies show, more than 56 % of adolescents at one time in their life, they were victims of child abuse. Child abuse takes many forms ranging from simple pain infliction to the worst form of child abuse that involves child labor and sexual abuse in form of prostitution or asking for sexual favors from children. All these forms of abuse cause extreme suffering to children, and in case caretakers fail to recognize such abuses, the likelihoods of most children committing suicide are high because most of them lack mechanisms of coping with the pain (Matthews 1).
Globally, according to the World Health Organisation research studies on child abuse, more than fifty-three child abuse murders occur annually; more than two hundred and eighteen thousand children actively participate in child labor, and more than two hundred and seventy-five million children are victims of domestic violence annually. Appropriate children protection policies should safeguard children’s rights from their homes to school and in all activities children engage themselves in (Usborne 1).
Considering all these threats to child safety, communities have to engage themselves actively in the formulation of policies necessary for ensuring children receive the desired protection from any forces within the society that threatens their security. Right from homes to learning institutions parents, and should collaborate with local council authorities in ensuring their children receive required protection from gang activities or any form of abuse. It is achievable through adopting patrol security measures to safeguard children in their traveling ventures. Within the school’s premises, school administrations should implement measures necessary to ensure all they minimize all threats to children’s security.
Such measures should include the construction of safe buildings, constructing evacuation channels, and health methodologies of preventing the spread of infectious diseases in case they occur. In addition to these measures, it is important for parents in collaboration with school administrations to offer educational training and guidance to children. This is one of the primary mechanisms of ensuring that children are aware of the nature of security threats they are likely to encounter in their daily endeavors hence, minimizing the chances of most of them being victims of gang activities (Matthews 1).
On the other hand, because of the serious nature of child abuse, there is a need for all community members to take a central role in ensuring children receive the required protection. Although individuals report some child abuse cases, most cases of child abuse go unpunished, because some societies lack appropriate reporting mechanism, necessary for ensuring all child law enforcing agents hold all child abusers accountable for their crimes. Therefore, this makes it necessary for a society to have good and secure reporting procedures, crucial in safeguarding all children’s rights (United Nations Children’s Fund 1)
Gang Violence
Another community safety issue that greatly jeopardizes the well being of individuals in society is gang violence. Although the majority of individuals associate gang violence with joblessness adults, in some communities some students may be involved in gang violence, a fact that makes the scenario worse because most students follow mob psychology. Gang violence is one of the worst security threats to a community because, in most cases, most gang activities end with the loss of numerous lives and destruction of property.
It is crucial to note that most gang activities are well organized, and in most cases, criminals will target innocent individuals, for example, mothers and young children. Therefore, considering this, it is of great significance for societal members to work in close collaboration with law enforcement agents; it is the primary mechanism of ensuring the government meets their security needs (Bania 90-92).
Closely related to gang violence is prostitution and drug abuse. These are two other primary threats to a society’s security, because in most cases, as research studies show, there is a close relationship between criminal gangs, prostitution, and substance abuse. Considering the nature of outcomes from gang activities and the impacts of such activities on the societies, firstly, parents should ensure they monitor their children’s activities, for it may provide a mechanism of realizing early gang warning symbols, for instance, tattoos and languages. The monitoring initiative should go beyond the normal family monitoring to monitoring children’s acquaintances, a fact that is only achievable through close collaboration with neighbors (Veale 1).
On the other hand, at the communal level, there is a need for all community members to cooperate amongst themselves through community policing programs in addition to collaborating with law enforcement agents. This is one of the primary mechanisms of discovering the reality behind criminal activity hence, formulating appropriate mechanisms of dealing with such activities. For governments and local authorities to deal with criminal gangs’ activities, there is a need for authorities to formulate criminal activity reporting mechanisms that will ensure reporters and witnesses of criminal activities receive the desired protections. This is one of the primary mechanisms of reducing chances of intimidation from criminal gangs hence, a mechanism of ensuring individuals report all criminal activity (Veale 11
As compared to other community safety issues, fire safety is of great concern because of the destructive nature of fires. Fire hazards range from simple home fires to complex fire scenarios that involve vast tracks of land or property. Hence, considering the destructive nature of fires, there should be many governmental initiatives to sensitize the public on the importance of maintaining a fire-free environment. Such initiatives involve the need for all occupied structures and building to have fire fighting gadgets and evacuating tunnels necessary for fighting fires and avoiding dangers of fire in case they occur.
In addition to fire fighting equipment, there is a need for individuals to ensure their houses have working smoke detectors connected to fire alarms, necessary for providing early warnings of a fire outbreak in case it occurs. It is crucial to note that the availability of fire fighting and prevention equipment is of no use without proper training on how individuals should handle fires. Hence, to ensure every individual, including children, have the required know-how on fire fighting mechanisms, there is a need for all society members in collaboration with local authorities to develop training programs, necessary for ensuring all individuals have the required fire fighting skills (Direct government 1).
To avoid small fires from occurring or spreading as a result of carelessness, there is a need for individuals to learn fire safety rules for all electrical appliances and the necessity of fire retardant cloth ware necessary for avoiding small home fires. Finally, for homes to access the services of firefighters in case the situation goes out of hand, it is necessary for local fire helplines to be functional and to be known to all home occupants (Direct government 1).
Conclusion
In conclusion, regardless of any community safety issue, the overall role of ensuring a community is safe lies in the hand of community members. It is because it is the community members who understand problems that face them; hence, they can easily formulate mechanisms of dealing with such issues, even without the help of local authorities. It is important to note that community issues are inevitable hence, the need for societies in collaboration with local authorities to formulate appropriate methodologies of handling such issues whenever they arise.
Works Cited
Advocates for Human Rights. Effects of domestic violence. Advocates for Human Rights, 1 June. 20006. Web.
Bania, Melanie. Gang violence among youth and young adults: (dis) affiliation and the Potential for prevention. IPC Review, 3 (2009): 89-116.
Direct Government. Fire safety in the home. Direct Government. 2010. Web.
Matthews, John. School safety tips. School Safety Institute. 2009. Web.
National Associations of School Psychologists. Tips for school administrators for Reinforcing school safety. NASP. 2010. Web.
National Community Safety Network. NCSN guide to CDRP/CSP working 2009: An NCSN induction guide for practitioners. NCSN. 2010. Web.
Pallito, Christina. Domestic violence and maternal, infant, and reproductive health: A critical review of the literature. 2010. Web.
Suffolk County Council. Domestic violence. 2010. Web.
United Nations Children’s Fund. Stop violence against children in communities: Safety tips-what you can do. 2007. Web.
Usborne, David. UN report uncovers global child abuse. The Independent. 2006. Web.