Could Increasing the Number of Police on the Streets Reduce Crime (Essay Sample)

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Effect of increasing police officers in the streets on crime
Increase in the number of police officers in the streets does not guarantee reduced crime rates. This is a question that criminologist have been asking themselves for quite some time. In the 1990’s when research on this topic had not been exhausted, the general assumption amongst scholars and law enforces was that increasing the number of police officers could reduce crime. Towards the end of 1990’s, a lot of research on this topic had been done, and surprisingly, many of the researchers revealed that an increase in the number of police officers in the streets did not necessarily guarantee a decline in crime. It revealed that there are other dynamics to crime rate other than increasing the number of police officers. These factors include; the perception of the criminals, the level of punishment and the commitment by the law enforces to apprehend crime.
In the 90s when few researchers on police officers versus crime rate had been done, there was a general belief that increasing the number of police officers in the street could reduce the number of crimes. However, research in the recent past reveals that increase in the number of police officers in the streets does not necessarily lead to a decline in crime rate (Siegel 111). It argues that crime rate depends on three fundamental factors: the perception of the criminals, the seriousness of the punishment and the willingness among the law enforcers. It goes ahead to state that criminals are rational beings who will first of all assess whether their apprehension will lead to serious consequences. In a situation where the law enforcing agencies put more police officers in the streets just to scare criminals from committing crimes, chances are that criminals will continue committing the crimes.
Moreover, research shows that crime rate depends on the seriousness of the punishment the apprehended criminals are conferred to. If increasing the number of police officers in the streets will only lead to arrest and lenient punishment to the criminals, then crime rate will not reduce, and in some instance lead to an increase in crime. This is because criminals will not be afraid to be arrested because they know nothing serious will happen to them, and hence potential criminals will get into crime.
Another dynamic regarding increase of police officers in the street versus reduced crime rates is the willingness of the law enforcers to fight crime. In a situation where the law enforcers are not committed fully to fighting crime then mere increase of police officers in the street does not necessarily reduce crime. This happens when the law enforcers collaborate with criminals ...