Promoting Community Crime Prevention for a Safer Community

Abstract

Based on the level of fear of crime expressed by the community, a need to convey evidencebased and practical ways for community crime prevention arose. Based on this notion, a
university community service programme, Kelantan Safe Community (SafeCom2012) was
conducted by the Forensic Science Programme of Universiti Sains Malaysia in the Kelantan
state of Peninsular Malaysia as a mean for local social transformation. To affect a holistic
transformation, the aims of this programme were to promote crime prevention at the community
level by facilitating significant contact between relevant crime-prevention bodies and the
community, and the application of forensic science in crime prevention. Multiple approaches
were applied as outcomes of joint planning and resources to transform community crime
prevention. A total of 275 citizens of various demographic background were educated on the
importance of crime prevention, crime in religious and moral context. A survey was distributed
among participants during registration which was returned at the end of the event. Results
indicated that 100% of respondents (n=115) agreed that their awareness level of community
crime prevention increased and 98.5% agreed that the programme aims were achieved. The
implications of the programme include the need for better multi-agency collaboration in ensuring
that community crime prevention becomes a sustainable social transformation agenda.