Crime Activities and Their Impact on Communities
Crime activities within our neighborhoods can have a radical effect on the community's people, making it uncomfortable to live or work in such stressful environments. The Canadian Statistics Center of Justice indicates that the most detrimental impact on the society is violent crimes such as murders and organized crime (Brennan, 2012).
Impact on the Youth
Canada's aging population has seen a steady drop in violent criminal activity from 2010 to 2011. In particular, young people between the ages of 15 and 24 are the most active age group involved in various crimes (Tanner, 2001). A peculiar youth culture in Canada has developed where young offenders are grouping up to form territorial gangs that run organized crime within a community. This should not be confused with teenage troubles since violent crimes are being committed using firearms (Schneider, 2009).
Inter-Gang Conflicts and International Comparisons
The youth delinquents are determined to make money through any means and they often engage in inter-gang conflicts. A comparative study of four nations revealed that the United States had the highest number of youths carrying firearms followed by Canada, Australia, and England (Brake, 2013).
Police Reports and Resolution Processes
It is also reported that these groups are opposed to police reports in the community that eventually sets the residents in fear. Most violent offenses by the youth gangs go unreported as the victims are either too scared to report them or simply holding on for internal resolutions. Police procedures aimed towards resolving these violent criminal activities involve the use of social workers that integrate into the community and assist in the identification of violent gangs and their rehabilitation (Downes, 2013). The Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA) is another initiative aimed at reducing the incarceration rate of the youth facilitated by the social workers.
References
Brake, M. (2013). Comparative youth culture: The sociology of youth cultures and youth subcultures in America, Britain and Canada. Routledge.
Brennan, S. (2012). Police-reported crime statistics in Canada, 2011. Juristat: Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics, 1.
Downes, D. (2013). The Delinquent Solution (Routledge Revivals): A Study in Subcultural Theory. Routledge.
Schneider, S. (2009). Iced: The story of organized crime in Canada. John Wiley & Sons.
Tanner, J. (2001). Teenage troubles: Youth and deviance in Canada. Scarborough, Ontario: Nelson Thomson Learning.
