New Challenges for Law Enforcement

Against a background of high crime across Europe, this paper argues that there is scope for improving police performance in detection. It also suggests that a more balanced approach to crime control is needed, with a shift in policy emphasis toward prevention. Both improved police performance in detection and the approach advocated for increased preventive effort are rooted in science. The specific role of science and technology in the context of crime control is considered and its implications for public policy and police training are briefly discussed. It is suggested that the problem-oriented approach to crime prevention, as increasingly practiced by the UK police and those in other jurisdictions, could be described as approaching scientific method, and perhaps be promoted as such.