by Ray Langley

Created on: April 19, 2010

The True Cost of Crime

 The true cost of crime in any community is not only the tangible loss of property, health or life, but also the psychological damage to the community sense of security. Communities tend to slowly tense in crime situations and ease up after catching the perpetrators, but in each instance, the lessons learned can compile on the community in the sense of mistrust and animosity toward strangers. Additionally, when the crime rate in a particular section of the community begins to rise, the police presence is also elevated which can add to instances of police malpractice.

 The obvious Cost of Crime in a community is the damage to or loss of property for the victims, but also ripple effects occurs. Personal property, even if insured is more expensive to replace then the usable property that was stolen, and commercial property, such as machines or materials are also expensive to replace, but have the additional cost of the loss of income that these items produce for the business. Damage to buildings can cause injuries to the employees, as well as customers. The crimes against business can increase the insurance rates for the business and passing the expense along to the customer in higher prices.

 The social Costs of Crime in a community comes by the freedoms that each member loses, not just the criminals. Suspicions among neighbors and community members will cause tension between business owners and the public, outsiders to the community will also draw undue attention and suspicion as the crimes continue. The public pressure of law enforcement will also result in losses of freedoms, as the whole community is a target for enforcement, as the criminals will not usually divulge themselves voluntarily. The community tension then becomes focused on enforcement flaws rather then the continuation of crimes.

 Beyond the material damage and the social upheaval, the True Cost of Crime comes from the money that society put into prisons, rehabilitation, and the cost of caring for individuals in those facilities. Society must use these funds in the education system and for the Social Security system that still has many promises left to keep. Expanding the “corrections department” and the capacity for inmates will only expand the breadth of crime. Stronger educational values and an investment in the community will reduce the occurrences of crimes that involve property or the loss of life, reducing the True Cost of Crime.

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