Ian K Ramdhanie MSC
There is a marked distinction between the types of crime-fighting strategies used in T&T and other countries, such as crime prevention, crime-solving, and crime management. Of course, there must be critical forward, backward and circular linkages among them.
Many countries have been struggling with devising and executing crime detection strategies, with some countries more successful than others. Crime detection is where, for example, the police are able to detect or find someone or some organisation that they believe after their investigations have committed an offence(s).
The data for overall crime detection in T&T does not paint a nice picture with percentages ranging from under ten per cent to twenty and 30 per cent for example, depending on what crimes are examined. We are not here to knock these but to improve them.
Crime detection rates vary from crime type to crime type and from police station to police station. With an increased crime detection rate, the likelihood that guilty persons are convicted also increases. This is what we want. At least this is the theory behind our criminal justice system.
There are at least four broad areas that need to be addressed to improve crime detection rates. These involve (1) Technology, (2) Human Resources, (3) Community, and (4) Other Resources.
Technology –The police must have a clear plan on how it intends to use the various types of technological advancements to detect criminals. This includes but is not limited to social media, CCTV cameras, drones, fingerprint testing, DNA testing, computers, and other hardware and software which for obvious reasons will not be named here. These must include statistical analyses of crime trends. Criminals are using technology too, so the police have to catch them via this route. Criminals will leave trails! All officers, including the various units and police stations, must be prepared to jump on this bandwagon, even senior officers. If senior officers don't buy in on crime detection technology, other officers will be fighting a losing battle.
Human Resources – More officers from the various units and police stations must be adequately trained in detecting crimes. Officers must be trained in basic and cutting-edge crime detection. The police service must have a clear plan as to how many police officers and civilian staff it needs, the various competences required, and a timeframe for achieving this. With more officers trained in crime detection and being assigned such duties, the crime detection rate shall increase.
Community – There is no denying that the community must be involved in crime detection. All crimes take place in communities, even in cyberspace. With use of appropriate technology, heavy dependence on the community can be eased and there can be increased reliance on more scientific evidence like DNA, video footage, social media, etc.
Public confidence in the police will go a long way in increasing detection rates. There must be a clear plan to increase this percentage. Then, the anonymous ways members of the community report information should be boosted . This is critical for increasing crime detection.
Other Resources – To improve the crime detection rate, financial backing must be there. It is also critical that the will, support and dedication of the leadership of the police service be there increase detection badly. Middle level management and supervision in the police service are fundamental for success in increasing the crime detection rate. Importantly, even political will is mandatory.
Contact the Caribbean Institute
for Security and Public Safety
for its joint international training with the Miami Dade College
School of Justice on Using Social Media in Investigations from September 7-9, 2016 in Trinidad.
Tel: 223-6999, 299-8635, info@caribbeansecurity
institute.com or www.caribbeansecurityinstitute.com