THE ROLE OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN CRIME PREVENTION AND CONTROL IN EDO STATE

ABSTRACT

The role of community participation in crime prevention and control in has been topical issue in Nigeria. However, security of lives and properties in Nigeria is the responsibility of the government but to complement the government, the community has some vital to play. The general objective of this study was to role of community participation in crime prevention and control. The specific objective was to find out the strategies adopted the communities in crime prevention in the area under study. The study the broken window theory by James Wilson and George Kelling as its theoretical framework. Simple Random sampling techniques was used in selecting 125 respondents in the study area. The study employed the survey research method. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire made up of both open and closed questions and were analysed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, percentage distribution and Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS). The major findings of the study buttress that 39.6% strongly affirmed that community policing emerged as a result in increase in crime wave in the locality. The findings further revealed that the police are usually confronted with sundry challenges which hinder its statutory function of protection of lives and properties, the need for community policing to complement the efforts of the police. Based on the findings, the study recommends that government should fund the operations of community police and back it the enabling laws to function properly.

Key words: Community, Policing, Crime, Crime Control, Participation