120. Deploying the National Guard--not a long term solution for reducing crime

About this episode

Professor Laura Dugan discusses why deploying the National Guard is not a long-term solution for reducing crime and emphasizes the importance of addressing underlying causes.

A visible law enforcement presence, like the National Guard, may deter crime, but Professor Laura Dugan, of the Ohio State University Department of Sociology, explains that deploying the Garud will not reduce crime in the long term. The first step in reducing crime is to understand the crime dynamics within a city and then make strategic decisions to address not only the crimes themselves but also their underlying causes. Research has shown that simply increasing patrols or random police presence does not effectively deter crime in the long term. While deploying military personnel with visible weapons might have some immediate effect, it fails to address the root causes of criminal activity. While some police departments have units dedicated to crime analysis and proactive strategies, most resources are devoted to reactive policing. Problem-solving policing targets the root causes of crime and focuses on small groups or specific neighborhoods responsible for a disproportionate share of criminal activity. Professor Dugan cites research indicating that providing healthcare, family planning, education, and providing support to low-income pregnant women reduces criminality in the…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jack D’Aurora, John Gonzales

Guest: Professor Laura Dugan

Topics covered

• crime reduction
• law enforcement
• National Guard
• social services
• crime dynamics
• proactive policing

Keywords

• National Guard
• crime dynamics
• proactive policing
• social services
• long-term solutions

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Ohio State University Department of Sociology

Places: Ohio

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