Ceasefire Program, Essay Example

The ceasefire program denotes a violence prevention initiative that focuses on gang violence and the illegal possession of firearms. It was first initiated in Boston, Massachusetts, around the 1990s by the Boston Police Department’s Youth Strike Force due to increased gun violence and rising violent crime rates. Ceasefire blends efforts by the police, the community, and social services to deter young people from becoming gang members. The initiative aims to put in place a complete plan of apprehending and punishing gun-wielding criminals, educating others about the severe repercussions of illegal weapon possession, and deter others from following in their footsteps. The program is based on the idea that offenders will be less likely to engage in a violent crime if the cost of committing a crime is greater than the gain. The program combines prosecution efforts with zealous law enforcement to retrieve illegal firearms, punish felons, create public awareness, and promote public safety and anti-violence.

Comparison between Ceasefire and GREAT Program

The deterrence approach used by the ceasefire program is one of its distinguishing features. It relies on the idea that crime can be discouraged when the cost of committing the crime surpasses the gain. Ceasefire programs employ the pulling-levers strategy to reduce the rate of crime by convincing those involved in criminal activities that severe repercussion will ensue when they are apprehended. The aim is trying to force them to change their habits. As a result, gang members are made aware that specific behavior or crimes will result in a particular response. This ensures that the program only focuses on those who are violent rather than wasting resources on people who are not violent.

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program, which focuses on creating a positive relationship between communities and law enforcement, has also helped discourage teenage criminality. The GREAT program, like the ceasefire program, focuses on kids but takes a more forgiving stance. Crime, especially among the youth, share specific features and noting this can help create a plan that targets all the young people involved in crimes and those that have not yet begun. The program serves as a preventative measure against gang affiliation, delinquency, and youth violence. The GREAT program works as an amnesty program or a gun turn-in approach. As a result, this program has the advantage of being built around school-based, police-instructed courses. It includes an elementary and middle school curriculum, and a family and summer component for youth and their families.

Ceasefire’s suppression plan includes numerous warrants, stiff punishments for repeat offenders, and the deployment of federal enforcement powers and strong probation enforcement, among other things. A large-scale public awareness campaign comprising meetings with the general public and gang members is used as a preventative method. Community members are informed that gang violence will be addressed with a zero-tolerance approach. The cessation of violence may prevent additional gang-related crimes. These measures are paired with existing law enforcement strategies and grassroots community activities to reduce violence in some cases.

The GREAT program has seen many police officers from around the US and Central American nations get trained and certified to oversee the program’s curricula. Similarly, the number of youths that have been exposed to this curriculum is substantial. This has aided the police in strengthening their bonds with kids, their schools, and their communities. The GREAT program has reduced gang involvement, lowered gang membership rates, increased public relations with law enforcement, and high collective efficacy, to name a few outcomes.

The Best Strategy between Ceasefire and GREAT Program

Youth violence is a global problem that encompasses acts such as physical fighting and bullying to severe assaults such as gun-related violence. Both of these programs are used to dissuade teenage criminality, but their effectiveness is dependent on the approach taken by law enforcement. However, the ceasefire program is more effective since it concentrates on a specific crime and helps to redirect resources to that crime, increasing its success rate. This strategy has been employed in several cities around the country to combat rising gang and teenage violence with positive results. Furthermore, Ceasefire has been blended with support measures to help those apprehended from the crimes, such as training, job possibilities, and other services.

The program allows the police to contact directly with the community by meeting one-on-one or in big groups. There’s also community outreach, support, and services, as well as multi-agency law enforcement targeting violent groups and individuals. This may aid in lowering incarceration rates and reducing recidivism among people who take part in the intervention (Braga). Many states have employed community outreach and support services to educate the public and give criminals a second chance. The GREAT initiative improves the community’s interaction with the police. Similarly, ceasefire initiatives can help to improve police-community ties. The success of ceasefire programs is dependent on a close working relationship between law enforcement and the community, particularly when it comes to raising awareness. Other crimes can be deterred indirectly as a result of the ceasefire program.