THE EFFECTS OF COMMUNITY POLICING IN CURBING CRIMINALITY IN JOS SOUTH LGA OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

The failure of government programmes for the control of crime informed private citizens playing a variety of roles that is making a decisive difference in the prevention, detection and prosecution of crime around the world. Private Citizens represent an underutilized source of assistance in crime control and social decay management. While law abiding citizens are willing and potentially capable of assisting the police, they lack direction and experience. However, with proper supervision and guidance by the police, citizens can contribute to reduction of crime and betterment of society. This study therefore aimed to ascertain the effect of community policing in curbing criminality in Jos South LGA of Plateau State Nigeria. The followings were the objectives of the study: one to identify the impact of community policing on crime reduction in Jos South LGA of Plateau state, two, to examine the factors that affect effectiveness of community policing in Jos South LGA of Plateau state, and lastly, to identify the efforts taken by the government to ensure better community policing in Jos South LGA of Plateau state. The population of this study comprises all the staff members of security agencies in Jos South LGA including the Nigeria police, etc. A simple random sampling technique will be used to select 100 respondents from the population. A mean score rating method was used to analyses the data based on the 2.5 acceptance region format to answer the research question. The study made use of primary source of data. Concerning the primary source, questionnaire was used to gather the data. . As result of the field study and analysis of results, the following findings were made: a) inferred that the factors affecting community policing in Jos South LGA include but not limited to corruption; institutional constraints; police perception; military orientation; godfatherism and poor funding. b) that the efforts taken by the government to ensure better community policing in Jos South LGA of Plateau State Nigeria, and lastly, that the impact of community policing on crime reduction in Jos South LGA of Plateau state is high.

CHAPTER ONE – INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study - - - - - - 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem - - - - - - 3

1.3 Objective of the Study - - - - - -- 5

1.4 Research Questions - - - - - - - 5

1.5 Significance of the Study - - - - - - 6

1.6 Scope of the Study - - - - - - - 6

1.7 Limitation of the study- - - - - - - 6

1.8  Definition of Term- - - - - - - - 79

CHAPTER TWO – REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

2.1  Introduction - - - - - - - - 8

2.2 Conceptual Clarification -- - - - - - 9

2.3 Theoretical Framework- - - - - - - 13

2.4 History of The Nigerian Police- - - - - - 14

2.5 Origin of Community Policing - - - - - 16

2.6  Philosophy of Community Policing - - - - - 17

2.7  Advent of Community policing in Nigeria - - - - 19

2.8 Problem Facing the Nigerian Police - - - - - 20

2.9 Strategist of Community Policing - - - - - 21

2.10 Challenges to Community Policing in Nigeria - - - - 22

2.11 Prospects of Community Policing in Nigeria - - - - 26

2.12  Advantages and Disadvantages of Community Policing in Nigeria - 27

CHAPTER THREE – RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research Design - - - - - - - 32

3.2 Population of Study - - - - - - - 32

3.3 Sample size and Sampling Techniques - - - -- 32

3.4 Instrument/Method for Data Collection - - - 32

3.6 Validity and Reliability of the Instrument - - -  33

3.7 Method of Data Analysis - - - - - -  33

CHAPTER FOUR – DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS

4.1  Demographic Information of the Respondents- - - - 34

 4.2:  Distribution of the Respondents based on their Marital - - - 35 

4.3:  Distribution of the Respondents based on their Age-- - - 36

4.4:  Distribution of the Respondents based on their Religion - - 37

4.5  Answers from the Research Questions- - - - - 38 

CHAPTER FIVE – SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

 5.1 Summary - - - - - - - - 41

5.2 Conclusion - - - - - - - - 425.3 Recommendations - - - - - - - 43Appendix  References