Social Crime Prevention in the Saadi Neighborhood of Shiraz

Abstract

Delinquency is a social phenomenon that has long confronted all human societies. Most criminal law scholars believe that if penal sanctions do not serve a preventive function, their enforcement is of little benefit. However, in the present century, and following societal transformations and the emergence of new elements in human life, practical experiences suggest that the functions of the criminal justice system in relying solely on punitive measures to counter and suppress crime have proven ineffective. For this reason, various criminal policy systems have increasingly turned to non-penal (proactive) preventive tools. In recent years, the Saadi Township, as one of the marginalized areas of Shiraz, has been identified as a crime-prone and crime-generating region in Fars Province. Considering that crime occurrence and detection statistics reveal that reactive (penal) methods have thus far failed to curb criminal acts in this neighborhood, this study, employing the concepts, components, and branches of social prevention (as a non-penal approach), outlines some successful outcomes and interventions implemented as crime prevention and control strategies using a library-based, descriptive–analytical method. Ultimately, non-penal prevention can be regarded as an effective strategy for crime reduction in the Saadi neighborhood.