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Results for community patrols (australia)

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Author: Closing the Gap Clearinghouse

Title: The role of community patrols in improving safety in Indigenous communities

Summary: Summary Community patrols have the potential to increase Indigenous community safety. They can assist in reducing crime rates and alcohol-related harm and empower the local community. The most successful community patrols tend to enjoy community involvement and ownership and strong collaboration with police and a network of community services. This paper summarises the key evidence in support of community patrols. It also summarises some of the evidence on best practice. What we know • Lack of safety in Indigenous communities in urban, regional and remote areas, adversely affects the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of Indigenous Australians. • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are over-represented as both perpetrators and victims of violent crime. This is confirmed by high hospitalisation and death rates due to assault, and by high detention and police apprehension rates for Indigenous people for ‘acts intended to cause injury’. • Community patrols vary in how they operate, reflecting the needs of their particular community. Their functions include safe transportation for those at risk of causing or being the victims of harm; dispute resolution and mediation; interventions to prevent self-harm, family violence, homelessness and substance misuse; and diversion from contact with the criminal justice system. Community patrols cooperate closely with other community-based programs and initiatives as well as the local police unit. • Indigenous community patrols are one type of safety initiative among a range of initiatives that are directly or indirectly designed to improve community safety. Together these initiatives enable a holistic approach to improving community safety. • Community patrols need to be independent from the police and justice sector, to allow them to take a flexible approach and keep their communities’ trust; however, good relationships with local police are crucial for the functioning of community patrols.

Details: Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2013.

Source: Internet Resource: Resource sheet no. 20: Accessed August 12, 2013 at: http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2013/ctg-rs20.pdf

Year: 2013

Country: Australia

URL: http://www.aihw.gov.au/uploadedFiles/ClosingTheGap/Content/Publications/2013/ctg-rs20.pdf

Shelf Number: 129625

Keywords:
Community Patrols (Australia)
Indigenous Peoples
Volunteers