Does Crime Stoppers Work?
The answer is quite simply yes. Since the start of Crime Stoppers, many calls have been received resulting in thousands of arrests and the recovery of substantial amounts of property. Calls have included information about murder, robbery, rape, assaults, drug and firearm offenses. Crime Stoppers brings communities, the media, and law enforcement together to make safer places to live, work, and play.
The success of a Crime Stoppers program cannot be purely judged on statistics; however, other benefits have come to notice:
The success of a Crime Stoppers program cannot be purely judged on statistics; however, other benefits have come to notice:
- A greater awareness in the community that there is a crime problem.
- A willingness by the community to fight back against crime if it is given the opportunity and motivation.
- Improved relationships between police, media, and the community.
Crime Stoppers is definitely here to stay. It has been accepted by police as a valid and effective investigative tool and the public, through its overwhelming response, appears to have accepted it as a more palatable alternative to traditional methods of giving information.
Put simply, it is a three-part approach to solving the crime problem. Crime Stoppers relies on cooperation between the police, the media, and the general community to provide a flow of information about crime and criminals.
