Crime Prevention Through Strategic ICT Application (CPTSIA) Framework

Crime Prevention Through Strategic ICT Application (CPTSIA) Framework

 This is about Information and Communication Technology applications for tackling most crimes that have continued to pose daunting challenges to contemporary society. Its pivot is on developing a framework for the effective application of WEB 2.0 tools and internet forensics techniques in crime prevention through guided community-based collective action. Such collective action is driven by strategic information sharing and purposeful collaborations through suitable interactive ICT platforms.  Conceptually, this proposes a shift in crime prevention paradigms tagged Crime Prevention Through Strategic ICT Application (CPTSIA). This is a new approach structured to suit our e-evolving society, enhance Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) applicability and the impacts of ICT on our fast changing lifestyles.

In preparing the grounds for enhancing the users’ appreciation of the framework member components and their cardinal roles, the notion that today’s innovations in ICT, ubiquitous computing and pervasive application of ICT tools are combining to provide incentives rather than deterrence to criminals were deeply examined in the detailed research report.  The validity or otherwise of these assumptions were also x-rayed side-by-side with the principal assumptions for the framework. Overall, providing the framework for steering-back these innovations in ICT against crime rising waves is what this piece is set to achieve. The emphasis on the side of technology is chiefly on the WEB 2.0, and sparingly on internet forensic techniques, whereas the emphasis on the human side is on taking advantage of accessible ICT interactive platforms for motivating, driving and sustaining a purposeful community oriented mass-action against crime through strategic information sharing.

Technically, the CPTSIA concept being the product of the framework seeks to capitalise on the strengths of WEB 2.0’s interactive and collaborative tools that currently drive the trending social networking and social media phenomenon. The internet forensics aspect is focused on ensuring that proactive measures are taken in making our ICT trending platforms forensic ready for supporting investigations, watertight evidence presentation and ultimately raising crime deterrence bars. Ultimately, the CPTSIA approach will deliver more effective solutions to the current global crime prevention challenges through the efficient harnessing of ICT innovations, starting from WEB 2.0 tools for creating accessible platform to empower individuals and communities to conveniently and safely play active roles in preventing crime within their neighbourhoods.

Conceptually, from the input to processing and output section, the framework infrastructure consists of five principal pillars and several components under each pillar as follows:

1.    The RESOURCES pillar. This is about the resources or means available for addressing the challenge - issues associated with enhancing the effectiveness of crime prevention for better results. These means are identified as critical components that must all add to the inputs for achieving the pre-set objectives and, they are categorized as follows:

§  Government

b.    The Communities

c.    Private Individuals

d.    Innovations in ICT (the internet web 2.0 tools).

2.    The PURPOSES pillar represents the objectives or goals that each input is meant to serve as follows: 

a.     Government - purposed for providing policy directions, enforcement, relevant legal frameworks and initial funding and enabling environment for decent living and proof of concept.

b.    The Communities – Purposed for stirring government for action, mobilizing participation; providing machinery for public promotions, re-orientation and; providing oversight functions for government’s roles and their crime prevention institutions.

c.    Private Individuals – Purposed for taking action against crime through interaction, collaboration and timely information sharing to expose all appearances of crime.

d.    Innovations in ICT – the means for providing the platform for the interaction and collaboration of all parties.

3.    The INTERMEDIARIES Pillar – these are the mediators, their place and details of their roles are as outlined in the figure (next page) presenting the framework.  They represent factors that are capable of influencing the activities and the outcomes in the processes section. These factors can either create positive or negative influences.

4.    The ACTIVITIES Pillar - this falls within the processes section and are reflections of the performances of the outlined PURPOSES for the actualization of the expected outcomes. Details are as listed in the framework presentation.

5.    The OUTCOME Pillar – this is the output which holds the result, and the result comes either as positive or negative outcome. The Positive indicates the realization of the pre-set goals whereas negative outcome indicates failure which may have been influenced by the factors in the intermediaries. Details are as explained in the framework.