Community crime prevention in Portugal: an introduction to Local Safety Contracts

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2021

Authors

Amante, Ana (Author) FLUP; Saraiva, Miguel Marinho (Author) FLUP; Marques, Teresa Sá (Author) FLUP

Journal

Title: Crime Prevention and Community Safety

Vol. 23 No. 2

Pages: 155-173

ISSN: 1460-3780

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Science

Clarivate Analytics

Crossref

Scientific classification

CORDIS: Social sciences > Geography

Other information

DOI: 10.1057/s41300-021-00112-2

Abstract (EN): Following the philosophy of other international programs as proximity policing or situational crime prevention, the Local Safety Contracts (CLS) have been an innovative strategy in Portugal, as they allow the sharing of accountabilities between the central and the local administration, in association with the police and the community. Nonetheless, little has been written in Portugal about such strategies, and nothing at all for the international scientific community. The aim of this paper is therefore to present the CLS, discussing their crime prevention stance and their impacts on local communities. First, the new preventive and multidisciplinary organizational model that is at the basis of CLS is discussed. Then a qualitative assessment of implementation is made through a set of interviews to relevant actors. Conclusions are drawn based on the experiences of municipalities, police and administration, contributing to the debate on community crime prevention, and enhancing the need for multidisciplinary, multilevel and place-specific approaches.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

Notes: Accepted 10 March 2021; Published 27 March 2021; Issue Date June 2021 A Correction to this article was published on 07 May 2022.