Crime Prevention and Control

Analysis of Police and Public Perception

Abstract

Crime is a global concern. In Nigeria, crime has brought a disconcerting problem to the populace. The police are tasked with the duties of securing lives and properties as well maintaining peace, order and tranquility. The recent surge of crime reported in literature provides enough impetus to compare police and public perception of crime, prevention and control in Anyigba Metropolis. The study adopted cross sectional survey design, and used primary method of data collection via two separate validated questionnaires. Non-parametric sampling method (purposively sample) was used to select 196 participants comprising of 128 adult residents of Anyigba town and 68 police officers from the Anyigba Divisional Police Headquarters. The study includes 152 males and 44 females with mean age of 46.51 and standard Deviation of 16.31. The Hypothesis analysed by t-test of independent sample revealed a significant difference between police and public perception of crime, prevention and control. The study recommends that police should improve on their strategies for crime prevention and control, publicize these strategies by continuous media talk show while the general public should see crime prevention and control as a collective responsibility. The current study have implications for criminologists, criminal justice practitioners, researchers, policy makers and administrators seeking to understand police as agents of law maintenance and to improve police efficiency in preventing and controlling crimes.