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 Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi

, Vol , No ,



VOLUNTARY PRIVATE SECURITY ORGANISATIONS AND MOBILISATION FOR COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION IN PLATEAU NORTH SENATORIAL DISTRICT, NIGERIA



Abstract

The increasing rate of crime and insecurity and the inability of law enforcement agencies to curb the situation has given rise to different Voluntary Private Security Organisations (VPSOs) in form of Community Crime Prevention (CCP) strategies. Anchored on Social Disorganisation and Collective Efficacy Theories, this paper investigates how VPSOs mobilise for CCP in Plateau North Senatorial District. The paper adopts mixed method approach as the research design. Systematic random sampling was used to select 412 respondents which was determined using Krejcie and Morgan (1970) formula. Three (3) most urbanised local government areas with high concentration of VPSOs were purposively selected: Jos North, Jos South and Bassa. The operations and activities of VPSOs were found promoting collective responsibility among residents and mobilising community members for CCP. The most common way VPSOs mobilise communities include regular security meetings, and the substantial number of VPSOs depends on self-sponsorship for operations. The study concludes that VPSOs are integral component of security architecture critical for bridging gaps in formal security provision while simultaneously nurturing the social conditions necessary for building strong ties and sustainable crime prevention. It therefore recommends that the National House of Assembly should legislate a legal framework to integrate VPSOs for funding and training to effectively prevent crime in communities.


Key words: Voluntary Private Security Organisations, Crime Prevention, Community Crime Prevention, Community Mobilisation, Resources Mobilisation

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