Crime Prevention Strategy Design Proposal LCR2003 Assignment

La Trobe University
LCR2003 Crime Prevention and Policy
Assessment 3: Crime Prevention Strategy Design Proposal

Reclaiming Claravale: A Dual-Strategy Crime Prevention Proposal to Address Youth Crime and Drug-Related Harm

Student Name:[Your Full Name]
Student ID:[Your Student Number]
Tutorial Day & Time:[e.g., Monday, 10:00 AM]
Tutors Name:[e.g., Dr. Jane Smith]
Word Count:[Final word count excluding reference list]

Submission Date:[e.g., 28 April 2025]

Executive Summary

The crime rate in Claravale is on the rise at the community level, especially in youth delinquency and drug incidences. It was noted that between 2021 and 2023, a significant percentage of 48.9% of all the recorded offenses were committed by youths with a mean age of the first-time offenders being 14.6 years. At the same time, the suburb has also witnessed a rise in drug related driving offenses by 36.8% with most of them being associated with the use of methamphetamine and other issues to do with safety in public places. These problems are deepened by structural vulnerability, geographical marginalization, and limited access to services in the community.

This paper seeks to outline a two-pronged crime prevention strategy that aims at preventing initial and continued offending. The first of these is Youth Engagement through Park Activation that seeks to convert abandoned parks into structured Youth Activity Parks with facilities for sporting, mentor and creative activities. The second program is the Mobile Harm Reduction Outreach Program, which will aim at offering health-based services, counselling and referral services to young people who are involved in substance use and offending.

Together, these initiatives offer aholistic, theory-informed solutionbased on Routine Activity Theory, Social Control Theory, General Strain Theory, and the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) model. The strategy is designed for12-month implementation, with built-in community partnerships and monitoring mechanisms to ensure scalability, sustainability, and measurable impact.

Table of Contents

Section 1: Summary of Crime Problems in Claravale. 4

Section 2: Overview of the Dual-Strategy Approach. 5

Section 3: Crime Prevention Initiative 1 Youth Engagement through Park Activation. 6

Overview of the Initiative. 6

Target Group. 6

Strategic Aims. 6

Theoretical Framework. 6

Evidence of Effectiveness. 7

Anticipated Benefits. 7

Risks and Limitations. 7

Section 4: Crime Prevention Initiative 2 Mobile Harm Reduction Outreach Program.. 7

Overview of the Initiative. 7

Target Group. 8

Strategic Aims. 8

Theoretical Framework. 8

Evidence of Effectiveness. 8

Anticipated Benefits. 9

Risks and Limitations. 9

Section 5: Theoretical Rationale. 9

Section 6: Evidence of Program Effectiveness. 10

Section 7: Benefits and Consequences. 11

Section 8: Justification for Strategy Selection. 12

Section 9: Conclusion. 13

References. 14

Section 1: Summary of Crime Problems in Claravale

The suburb of Claravale is experiencing a complex and interrelated set of crime problems that reflect deep structural, demographic, and spatial vulnerabilities. Between April 2021 and April 2023, 3,927 offences were officially recorded, representing a 9.2% increase in crime since 2020 (Crime Summary Report). Alarmingly,48.9% of these offences were committed by young people, with theaverage offender age at 14.6, and documented contact with police as young as 10 years old (Crime Summary Report). These figures indicate a significant shift toward early criminalisation, raising concerns about systemic failure in youth engagement and protective social mechanisms.

Drug-related offences, particularly impaired driving, are also rising sharply. Claravale has seen a36.8% increase in driving under the influence (DUI) incidentssince the onset of the pandemic, culminating in fatal incidents such as the death of four children caused by a methamphetamine-intoxicated, disqualified driver (News Article 2). Police interventions near the local train station have also resulted in violence against officers during meth-related arrests, highlighting an emerging public safety crisis linked to drug distribution hubs.

These crime patterns are underpinned byentrenched socio-economic disadvantage. Only 3.6% of Claravales population have attained a Bachelors degree, with 24.1% having Year 10 as their highest qualification (Claravale Demographics). The suburb reports a19.8% unemployment rate, significantly higher than the national average, and56.5% of households speak a language other than English at home, raising concerns about cultural isolation and service accessibility. Additionally,school absenteeism rates are 31.6?ove the national average, and there has been a49% increase in teenage pregnanciessince 2020 (News Articles 3 & 4), both of which are well-established predictors of later youth offending and intergenerational poverty (Posey et al., 2024).

Environmental neglect further exacerbates the issue. Overgrown parks near Claravale Central High School have become congregation points for unsupervised youth involved in antisocial behaviour and substance use (News Article 1). These neglected public spaces serve as criminogenic zones where informal social control is absent, reinforcing a cycle of community disinvestment and disorder.

Together, these factors suggest not just a rise in crime, but aconvergence of youth vulnerability, drug harm, and spatial neglect, requiring multi-pronged, community-driven prevention strategies.

Section 2: Overview of the Dual-Strategy Approach

Claravales crime landscape demands a strategic response that addresses both theentry points into criminal behaviour and theentrenchment of offenders within the justice system. The interwoven crises of youth disengagement and substance-related harm cannot be tackled through singular or punitive interventions. Instead, an integrated, dual-initiative model is requiredone that balancesdevelopmental preventionwithharm minimisation.

The first initiative,Youth Engagement through Park Activation, reflects asocial and situational preventionapproach. By transforming neglected public spaces into supervised, structured environments for youth recreation and mentorship, this initiative seeks to reduce unsupervised peer association, delinquent behaviour, and early justice system contact (Khan & Tang, 2023). It directly addresses Claravales rising youth crime rate and lack of positive routine activity opportunities.

The second measure, a Mobile Harm Reduction Outreach Program, is implemented as a tertiary prevention approach (Latimore et al., 2023). It focuses on those who are already in drug use and minor offending, providing mobile health care, peers intervention, and the route to reformation. This model recognizes the fact that drug dependency is a long-term problem and deals with it before offenders are involved in more severe or violent criminal activities (Hunt et al., 2024).

These are two incorporated prevention strategies: the former prevents early risk trajectories among the vulnerable youths, and the latter interrupts cycles of recidivism and victimization (Berdychevsky et al., 2019). Notably, both initiatives can be developed for a 12-month feasibility study using accessible community assets, collaborative partnerships, and efficient delivery approaches. It is an evidence-based and context-specific approach that would enable the development of a specific, timely, and realistic intervention to address Claravales current crime issues.

Section 3: Crime Prevention Initiative 1 Youth Engagement through Park Activation

Overview of the Initiative

The first intervention plan involves converting Claravales abandoned parks into YAZs, safe, renovated parks with structured after school and evening activities. These are sport, arts, mentoring, and recreation, that will be provided in conjunction with local schools, cultural groups, and youth organizations. Based in the vicinity of Claravale Central High School, it intervenes in the high-risk periods of youth offending which is from 3.00 pm to 9.00 pm.

Target Group

The initiative is designed foryoung people aged 1018, particularly those at high risk of disengagement from school, early offending, or exposure to substance use. Claravales youth cohort is disproportionately represented in the crime data, with48.9% of all offences committed by young people, and the average age of first-time offenders at14.6 years(Crime Summary Report). This reflects a critical developmental window for intervention.

Strategic Aims

• Reduce youth loitering and antisocial behaviour in unsupervised spaces

• Promote structured daily routines and school re-engagement

• Foster prosocial peer networks and adult mentorship

• Reclaim public parks as safe, inclusive community assets

Theoretical Framework

This initiative draws from two core criminological theories:

• Routine Activity Theory: Increasing capable guardianship in public parks disrupts the convergence of potential offenders and vulnerable targets in unstructured environments (Schaefer, 2021).

• Social Development Model: Structured engagement and prosocial bonding reduce risk-taking and increase internalisation of conventional norms and behaviours (Jaggy et al., 2023).

Evidence of Effectiveness

Evidence from comparable interventions supports the models efficacy. TheMidnight Basketball programin Australia and the United States demonstrated substantial reductions in juvenile arrests and public order offences during evening hours (Weber et al., 2021). Likewise,PCYC programshave shown that structured, community-based youth engagement can effectively reduce youth offending, particularly in low-income areas (Linver et al., 2023).

Anticipated Benefits

• Decreased vandalism and property offences in Claravales parks

• Increased school attendance and engagement

• Strengthened community cohesion and safety perceptions

• Enhanced informal social control through local stakeholder participation

Risks and Limitations

Potential limitations includedisplacementof youth activity to other unsupervised zones andfunding insecuritybeyond the initial 12-month period. These can be mitigated through partnership models, co-design with youth stakeholders, and future integration into council recreation services.

Section 4: Crime Prevention Initiative 2 Mobile Harm Reduction Outreach Program

Overview of the Initiative

The second proposed initiative involves the deployment of aMobile Harm Reduction Outreach Vanin Claravales high-risk zones, particularly around the local train station where illicit drug activity is concentrated (News Article 2). The van will operate during late afternoons and eveningspeak times for substance-related public incidentsprovidingbrief interventions, peer counselling, health education, and direct referralsto drug treatment and rehabilitation services.

Target Group

This initiative targetsyouth and young adults aged 1830who are engaged indrug use, low-level dealing, or associated offending such as property crime and driving under the influence. The need is urgent: Claravale has experienced a36.8% increase in DUI offences involving drugssince 2020, and fatal incidents such as the deaths of four children have heightened public demand for intervention (News Article 2). These offenders often remain disconnected from formal health services due to stigma, fear of criminalisation, or lack of access.

Strategic Aims

• Reduce drug-related recidivism and public disorder

• Increase access to health and support services

• Divert vulnerable individuals from the justice system

• Build trust between at-risk populations and service providers

Theoretical Framework

This initiative is grounded in two complementary criminological theories:

• General Strain Theory: Chronic exposure to stressors such as unemployment, poverty, or trauma fosters emotional states that increase the likelihood of criminal coping mechanisms, such as drug use and dealing. The outreach model provides constructive alternatives to manage these strains (Morgan et al., 2023).

• Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model: Tailoring interventions to the risk level, criminogenic needs, and personal responsivity of the client maximises rehabilitation outcomes, especially in community corrections (Fazel et al., 2024).

Evidence of Effectiveness

Successful models exist both nationally and internationally. TheMERIT programin New South Wales integrates court-mandated treatment with health supports, reducing reoffending and drug dependence (NSW Government, 2019). VictoriasYouth Outreach Drug Advice and Assessment (YODAA)service has demonstrated increased access and service uptake among high-risk youth (Department of Health, 2012). Internationally,Vancouvers InSiteprogramNorth Americas first legal supervised injection sitehas significantly reduced overdose deaths and infectious disease transmission while increasing referrals to rehabilitation (Doberstein, 2022).

Anticipated Benefits

• Early intervention and crime prevention for high-risk users

• Reduced public drug-related harms (e.g., overdoses, violent altercations)

• Greater public trust in health-based approaches to crime

• Improved safety around public transport and schools

Risks and Limitations

Key risks includecommunity stigmatoward harm reduction approaches,resistance from drug usersfearing legal consequences, andfunding uncertaintiespost-pilot phase. These challenges can be mitigated through:

• Public awareness campaigns on the public health rationale

• Confidential service delivery

• Early partnership with local health authorities and non-profits

Section 5: Theoretical Rationale

The dual-strategy model proposed for Claravale is grounded in well-established criminological theories that explain not only the causes of offending but also the mechanisms by which interventions can prevent or reduce crime.

TheYouth Engagement through Park Activationinitiative is underpinned byRoutine Activity Theory(Edenborough & Gale, 2025), which posits that crime occurs when motivated offenders encounter suitable targets in the absence of capable guardians. Claravales neglected parks provide precisely such criminogenic environments. By introducing structured supervision, prosocial routines, and positive adult presence during peak offence hours, the initiative disrupts this convergence, thereby reducing the likelihood of youth engaging in delinquency.

Furthermore, the initiative bases its foundation on Social Control Theory which postulates that positive bonds with conventional institutions such as school, families and community organisations decreases the likelihood of offending. What is more, the program fosters positive peer relationship, responsible adult role models and prosocial activities that in return support normative behaviour and social inclusion (Adler & Laufer, 2025).

The Mobile Harm Reduction Outreach Program is well supported by General Strain Theory (Morgan et al., 2023), which suggests that constant exposure to stressors such as joblessness, rejection, and trauma increases the chances of resorting to crime by using drugs and violence. Outreach services provide non-criminal, health-related treatments that target these tensions explicitly.

At last, the program includes elements of the Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model (Fazel et al., 2024). It focuses on the extent of the risk of dangerousness, deals with criminogenic needs such as substance abuse, and modifies the treatment according to the offenders characteristics, which in turn, optimises the rehabilitation and minimums recidivism.

Altogether, these theories provide a comprehensive and multifaceted theoretical support for the proposed initiatives, which will be both theoretically sound and efficient in practice.

Section 6: Evidence of Program Effectiveness

Both proposed initiatives are backed by research that shows that they work in preventing and combating crime, improving public safety, and encouraging community participation. Studies of similar programs in other parts of Australia and other countries have indicated that it has resulted in reduction of recidivism, better outcomes for youths and improved perception of safety.

Though, the results depend on several factors such as community participation, culture, and sustainability of the financing. For example, if a program is part of youth serving agencies or backed by local youth councils, then, the effects are long-term. Nonetheless, both strategies are extensively considered cheap and efficient in the long run, particularly when used alongside the community-based governance system.

Table 1. Comparative Outcomes from Similar Crime Prevention Programs

Collectively, these findings reinforce the relevance of both initiatives for Claravale, highlighting their potential for reducing harm, improving engagement, and enhancing long-term community resilience.

Section 7: Benefits and Consequences

The proposed dual-strategy model has several social, economic, and community advantages. The Youth Engagement initiative of activating previously unused parks and hiring more adult supervisors in parks helps create safer spaces, reduce undesirable behaviors, and redirect at-risk youth to positive activities. At the same time, the Mobile Harm Reduction Outreach discourages drug use in those areas, preventing the public from feeling unsafe and avoiding the services offered by agencies.

Both strategies promotecost-effective crime prevention, diverting individuals from the justice system and reducing reliance on expensive incarceration models. Importantly, they advanceequity and inclusion, providing culturally responsive and accessible services for marginalised youth and culturally diverse residents56.5% of whom speak languages other than English at home (Claravale Demographics).

However, potentialconsequencesmust be acknowledged. Residents may resist harm reduction models due to stigma or fear of enabling drug use (NIMBYism). Cultural or linguistic barriers may hinder engagement, particularly among migrant families or Indigenous youth. Both initiatives also require sustained funding to ensure continuity beyond the pilot phase.

These risks can be mitigated throughcommunity co-design, ensuring programs reflect local values and needs.Phased deliveryallows for adaptation, while early partnership withlocal leaders and schoolsbuilds trust, promotes participation, and supports long-term sustainability.

Section 8: Justification for Strategy Selection

The proposed dual-strategy model was selected over more traditional enforcement-based approachessuch as increased CCTV, curfews, or police blitzesdue to itsholistic, community-centred, and evidence-based orientation. Enforcement strategies may offer short-term deterrence but often fail to address theroot causesof crime, such as social disconnection, economic hardship, or substance dependency. In contrast, the two selected initiatives aim toprevent crime by targeting its underlying drivers, including youth disengagement, spatial neglect, and drug-related harm.

This approach is highly compatible with Claravaleslocal demographic and socio-cultural profile, which includes high youth representation, diverse language backgrounds, and significant disadvantage. Both initiatives arenon-punitive, scalable, and adaptable, making them more culturally inclusive and likely to foster voluntary engagementespecially critical given the 56.5% of residents who speak a language other than English at home (Claravale Demographics).

Additionally, these strategies arerealistic within the 12-month implementation windowoutlined in the project brief. They leverage existing community infrastructure (parks, schools, local health services) and require comparatively lower upfront investment than surveillance or enforcement-heavy models.

Ultimately, this integrated model promoteslong-term community resilience, reduces reliance on reactive justice interventions, and aligns with best practice in sustainable crime prevention.

Section 9: Conclusion

Claravales dual crises of escalating youth crime and drug-related harm demand a proactive, evidence-based response. This proposal outlines two complementary initiativesYouth Engagement through Park Activationand aMobile Harm Reduction Outreach Programthat address both early risk and entrenched offending. Grounded in criminological theory and supported by proven models, these strategies offer a balanced, community-driven approach. Their synergistic potential lies in simultaneously preventing criminal onset and supporting rehabilitation. It is recommended that both initiatives be implemented as a12-month pilot, withongoing monitoringand acommunity feedback loopto ensure adaptability, accountability, and long-term impact.