Drawing On Our Strength in Troubled Times

Message From the former NCPC President and CEO

By Alfonso E. Lenhardt

The new year ushers in the challenge to tackle new issues, the opportunity to address existing ones with renewed creativity and commitment, and the chance to rededicate ourselves and our resources to our mission in different and exciting ways.

Each new year presents its own unique challenges. This year the challenge is an economy gone sour and increasing reports of rising crime. The U.S. Conference of Mayors recently conducted a survey of its members and found that 42 percent of the 124 responding cities are seeing increased crime as a result of current economic conditions. The cities were asked to describe the types of crimes that are being driven by economic problems. The most frequently cited were robbery, by 39 percent of the cities; theft, by 31 percent of the cities; and burglary, by 29 percent of the cities.

The survey also reported that 29 percent of the cities experienced an increase in crime resulting from the mortgage foreclosure crisis and the increase in the number of vacant and abandoned properties. In 2006, NCPC formed a partnership with the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc., to fight the theft of valuable metals—including copper, bronze, and aluminum. Now, people are breaking into foreclosed homes and stealing electrical wires, the copper in plumbing fixtures, and even the aluminum siding. The stark reality is that when people can’t afford things, the necessities especially, they steal things, or the goods to sell to get them.

All of these increases are taking place against a backdrop of curtailed local, state, and federal funding for law enforcement, crime prevention, and social programs aimed at such important goals as making sure that ex-offenders don’t become recidivists and that disadvantaged children get the start in life they deserve and mature into upstanding adult citizens.

We all know what we need to do. We must redouble our efforts to confront these crimes and the many other problems that threaten our society. Those of us who work or volunteer in crime prevention must seek out new partnerships and collaborate with civic and neighborhood leaders and members of the business and faith-based communities to promote the many ways people can stay safe and prevent crime.

We remain strong and committed to our mission. Through our training in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), we can help ensure that the urban landscape is hospitable to citizens and inhospitable to crime. Through new topical public service announcements for radio, we will give local law enforcement the tools to keep the public informed and calm after incidents have taken place. Through our Safer Seniors initiative, we will educate our older citizens against fraud, identity theft, and other crimes. Be Safe and Sound in School will help ensure that our children go to school in safe environments. McGruff Club teaches our youngest children about safety basics and how adult facilitators can help protect these most vulnerable members of society. Our cyberbullying and bullying initiatives seek to educate young people, educators, and parents about the dangers of bullying and ways to prevent it.

To further advance crime prevention, NCPC recently launched the National Crime Prevention Association. The association is a membership organization for those engaged in crime prevention. It will build professionalism and knowledge through training, conferences, networking, and standards. The association now numbers more than 1,300 active members.

We can do much more. We must urge our elected representatives at all levels of government to restore full funding for law enforcement and crime prevention. But in particular, we should welcome the possibilities the new administration will bring for all Americans. We hope the new administration will support the crime prevention programs and initiatives that are so vital in this difficult time for the nation.