Chapter I

THE PROBLEM

Background of the Study

Crime is a worldwide phenomenon, In general the

definition of a crime is an act punishable by law, usually

considered an evil act. Crime is an act that has been

timeless and has been committed practically since the start

of time. Crime has been cited as an important problem and is

a prominent fact of contemporary societies (Garland, 2001).

The cost of crime varies from direct cost to indirect costs

(Forsyth, 2005). Crime as a social problem can restrict

people’s freedom in the community participation. It can

generate considerable fear within the community superseding

national security, employment, cost of living, poverty and

health (National Crime Prevention Institute [NCPI] 2003,

Muncie & Mc Laughlin 2002).

Based upon data on crimes reported to law enforcement

authorities collected by the United Nations (UN) and the

International Police Organization (Interpol) and upon data

from the World Health Organization (WHO), the rate of

violent crime in the United States is several times higher

than in other countries.

Americans believe that violent crime is increasing. In

the short run, they are right: Violent crime did increase
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between 1990 and 2010. But what really worries most people

is not the short-run trend but their sense that violent

crime has been climbing steadily for a long time and that

the future will only bring further increases. Indeed,

violence is part of our national mythology.

Nonetheless, most Americans are convinced that America

has become much more dangerous. One reason is that American

cities really are considerably more violent than they were

between 1945 and 1965, when middle-aged Americans were

growing up. But even younger Americans, who grew up in the

late 1960s and 1970s, think America has become more violent.

Here the explanation is subtler. When most of us think of

the past we think of our childhood. Most middle-class

Americans grow up in placid residential neighborhoods where

violent crime has always been quite rare. Middle-class

adults lead less sheltered lives. They usually work in

cities rather than suburbs, and they expose themselves to

risks to which they would never expose their children. When

today's children grow up and remember their youth, they too

will think the world has grown more violent, even if the

crime rate remains unchanged.

In addition, international crime affects nations in

diverse ways. In many states, political institutions have

strong links to international crime, and citizens in

numerous communities across the world rely on international

criminal groups to provide basic services or livelihoods.

Finally, the international community requires solid data to

gauge the challenge and effectiveness of responses, but data

on transnational organized crime is notoriously difficult to

gather and is often politicized.

The Philippines is an archipelago in South-East Asia,

with more than seven thousand islands situated between the

Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. The Philippines is

the 104th country in the world, based on the safest and most

dangerous countries ranking. Crime remains a concern in

urban areas throughout the country.

The nationwide crime rate from July 2016 to June 2018

dropped by 21.48 percent compared to the same period from

2014 to 2016, Philippine National Police (PNP) data showed.

A total of 1,040,987 crimes were reported from July 2016 to

June 2018, lower than the 1,325,789 cases reported during

the same period in 2014 to 2016.

Ilocos Norte takes pride on its security and order as

its crime rate went down to 44 percent in 2017. Reports from

the Ilocos Norte Provincial Police Office (INPPO) revealed

that there were 345 crime occurrences in 2017 as compared to

556 records in 2016. In 2015, record of crime incidents shot

up to 1,394 but lowered down in 2016 due to the intensified

aim to alleviate misconducts and violations all over the

country.

The need to undertake this study is to find out and

present the different crime incidence happened in the City

of Candon, Ilocos Sur. This research aims to present an

accurate crimes and trends in Candon City. This Research can

give us insight into what nature of crime usually occurred

in Candon City, where the crime happened and who are involed

in crime.

Through the result of this study, it is beneficial to

the community of Candon City to become aware and alert so

that crimes will lessen, the statistics will help the

community to be more cautious, it also beneficial to the

police authority of Candon to prevent and lessen the crime

happens.

Theretical and Conceptual Framework

Rational Choice Perspective (RCP), Routine Activity Approach

(RAA), and Crime Pattern Theory (CPT). The Rational Choice

Perspective (RCP), proposed by Clarke and Cornish (1985), assumes

that crime is a purposive behavior and potential offenders are

rational decision makers. In choosing to commit crime, they

assess the costs and benefits of the given act. If the risks and

efforts outweigh the potential rewards of a given crime it should

be less likely to occur.

The Rational Choice framework helps to understand why some

places experience more crime than others and why some targets are

victimized while others are not. The theory also helps to

understand and identify suitable prevention tactics which serve

to offset the ratio of acceptable effort and risk to rewards so

that the likelihood of crime decreases.

The Routine Activity Approach (RAA) which was proposed by

Cohen & Felson (1979) is another theory that helps explain why

and how crime occurs and which identifies viable methods of

prevention. According to this approach three elements are

necessary for crime to occur, which includes a motivated

offender, a suitable target, and lack of a capable guardian

(often referred to as the crime triangle). If any one of these

elements is missing, crime cannot take place. This theory is

informative for Situational Analysic on Crime since it shows how

the elimination of any of the three components of crime can serve

to reduce the opportunities for offending.

Crime Pattern Theory (CPT) by Brantigham & Brantingham

(2005) also informs Situational Analysis on Crime by explaining

the regularities in crime behaviors across geographic space. This

theory helps to understand the concentrations of crime

particularly in time and space. Among spatial “hotspots” of

crime, the theory identifies two general types. The first, crime

generators, are places that attract many potential victims and

offenders to the location for non-criminal purposes, like bus

stops, and thus facilitate crime because of the opportunities

created by their convergence. The other, crime facilitators,

refer to places that are known to offenders for being a venue

where crime regularly takes place. Offenders are attracted to

these locations to commit crime.

This theory is also insightful because it enables crime

prevention policy makers and practitioners to identify

locations which are in need of preventive interventions and

also helps them find tailored preventive methods suitable

for each area.

As illustrated in the research paradigm, the inputs are

categorized into the crime profile of Candon City in terms

of Nature of crime, Status of the case, Gender and age of

offenders, Residence of offenders, and Year of the crime

commited for both index and non-index crimes.

The output includes the Situational Analysis on Crime

Incidence of Candon City, Ilocos Sur.

Input

1. Crime Profile of
Candon City in terms of:
A. Index
a. Nature of crime
b. Status of the case
c. Gender and age of
offenders
d. Residence of
offenders
e. Year of the crime
commited
B. Non-Index
a. Nature of crime
b. Status of the case
c. Gender and age of
the offenders
d. Residence of the
offenders
e. Year of the crime
committed

2. Crime situation in
Candon City

Process

Descriptive
Survey,
interview, gather
data, frequency
count percentage,
interpret and
analyze data
Output

Situational
Analysis on Crime
Incidence of
Candon City,
Ilocos Sur
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Figure 1. The Research Paradigm

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the Implementation on the

Task Force Bantay Kalsada in Candon City.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following

questions:

1. What is the crime situation in Candon City in terms of:

1.1 Index Crime

1.2 Non-Index Crime

2. What is the crime situation in Candon City?