Crime prevention efforts in National Planning in Sri Lanka By Premananda Atapattu
Published by Ms Sarasavi
Publishers 2016
I write this review to introduce a valuable and painstaking study undertaken in the field of Crime Prevention by the author. This book was awarded first prize for the Best Academic and Research Work at the State Literary Awards Ceremony 2017. The author is a retired senior police officer who was associated with our university during his postgraduate studies and this study was guided by an academic of the university.
In his summary, the author explains the importance of a National Plan in crime prevention.
“...Crime prevention planning extends beyond the scope of the activities entrusted to agencies that function within the Criminal Justice System. In building a sustainable society in which citizens can lead a peaceful and a secured life, planners should have a fair view of the social structure that is envisaged. This objective makes it mandatory for a new policy planning exercise with a vision for a collective creativity and an evolutionary process, which would guarantee equal opportunities to citizens, and the removal of existing social imbalances and contradictions...”
In his preface, the author states thus: “…This is an effort made to understand the crime situation in the country based on official statistics and limited studies undertaken in the recent past; and make recommendations for social engineering in a long term plan for a sustainable society in which citizens would feel more secure and safe. They would feel this is their own country and think as a single NATION and have adequate opportunities to expand their livelihoods…”
At the end of each chapter, a summary has been added which is useful for busy readers and students. His efforts in suggesting a long term crime prevention program by the state have been a remarkable success and should draw the attention of all stakeholders on a priority basis.
In Chapter I, he examines “…the statutory provisions in force to deal with crime, structures, procedures and the systems adopted at present. Chapter II discusses the maintenance of standards in Criminal Justice services; Chapter III, analyzes the scope of crime prevention by institutions in the Criminal Justice system; Chapter IV: Crime prevention planning to maintain standards of performance and a bench mark; and Chapter V: long term strategies in crime prevention in which offensive, dissentious behaviour patterns of citizens could be changed in a long term program...”.
Some important points he enumerates in the book:
a) Reduce incidence of certain categories of crime, those on the upward trend to tolerable levels.
“...Of the 51,809 grave crime cases reported during 1996, in 3,395 cases fire arms have been used. Of the 3,395, in 901 cases, automatic weapons have been used by the culprits.
In 2012, of the 4,885 grave crimes committed against persons, in 2,237 cases automatic weapons have been used. This developing trend needs to be arrested, in order to reduce the level of risk felt and experienced by the citizens...”
b) Maintenance of standards in Criminal Justice services:
Explains the importance in implementing Sentencing guidelines and the theories of Restorative Justice.
c) Measurement of crime
A true picture of the crime situation in the country does not appear in the crime statistics.
Official statistics take into account only a set of standard violations of law, adopted globally, like, house breaking and theft; robbery, etc.
These are listed as Grave crimes. In addition, he underlines the importance of undertaking in-depth studies into specific crime problems prevalent in the country to understand the real crime situation. A few of them are:
* Offences committed against the environment; reservoirs; coasts and cultural heritage;
* Effects of screen violence, video parlours, phonographic materials, gaming and betting centres, especially, on the minors
* Bribery and corruption in the Govt. and corporate sector
* Organized crime and trans national crime, including. human and drug trafficking
* Developing adverse sub cultures in tourist industrialized areas
* Growing trend in gender based criminality
Erosion of family relationships
d). Maintenance of ‘crime rate’ at a tolerable level:
When compared with crime statistics of Asian and South Asian countries, the crime rate in Sri Lanka is very much higher. Therefore, we need to find ways and means to reduce the crime rate.
It would be a good approach to look at a country like Japan, or another developed Asian country, which has been successful in their efforts in controlling crime, a country with a similar cultural base as ours.
e) Co-ordination of Crime prevention Planning:
The author recommends the establishment of a statutory body, such as a, National Crime Control Authority with the participation of all stakeholders, with the objective of controlling crime.
f) Study of social problems:
Absence of social protection laws and inadequacy of consumer protection laws
Management of school dropouts, especially at a young age and their skills development requirements
Absence of mother/ father in the family due to migration or other reasons
Juvenile delinquency
Upward trend in the use of drugs and alcohol to the incidence of crime
Corruption including white collar crimes
Deterioration of social fabric and value system in the country
Growing trend of disregard for the law and order in most government departments; corporations; social institutions; corporate entities; public places and on public roads...
Developing trend in sex related crime and sex trade and relevance to tourism industry
Inadequacy of land space for habitation and finding alternative solutions
Relevance of poverty level to the incidence of crime
Social impact of migration from the rural to urban areas
Lifestyle change in tourism industry areas
Sub cultures in unauthorised settlements and their contribution to the productivity and their gainful employment
Breakdown in overall discipline in the country ; disregard for the law and order ; disregard for the social obligations and the collapse of values and human relationships
g) Crimes and use of fire arms:
“.. When grave crime statistics are taken into consideration, in 1977, in 149 cases fire arms have been used to commit grave crimes. This number increased to 925 in 1993 and to 3,395 in 1996.
Of this, in 901 cases, automatic weapons have been used by culprits. In 2012, fire arms have been used to commit 2,496 grave crimes. Of these, in 2,237 cases automatic weapons have been used. This is an alarming situation and special laws will be required to control the use of firearms to commit crimes. More information needs to be collected to remedy situation...”
h) Use of drugs, alcohol and crime: “...There is no national policy in the county on alcohol and successive governments are compelled to continue with the excise taxes as a prime revenue generator. Statistics are not available to measure the consumption of alcohol and its relevance to crime. Studies undertaken are remote to assess the:
(a) Relevance of consumption of alcohol in the commission of crimes such as, violence, rape, murder, robbery, etc.
(b) Effects of alcohol on the performance of the working population of the country and costs incurred in the maintenance of their health and related absenteeism, and its relevance to the GDP level and corruption.
(C) Effects of alcohol on family violence and the general well being of society...”
i) Developing a statutory framework for controlling organized crime:
The author is of the view that existing legislature should be revised to define Organized Crime taking into consideration the statutory framework suggested in Article 2 (a) of the relevant UN Convention (A/55/383 of 2 November 2000).
In my view this book is a valuable contribution to Criminology and Criminal Law, and could be recommended for students reading Criminology and Criminal Justice in our universities.
By B.A. Tennyson Perera, Emeritus Prof (Sociology), University of Sri Jayewardenepura