Real-Life Decision Making
One of the coolest things about being a crime prevention specialist is that you get to help people. And that's the main reason you decided to become a crime prevention specialist.
Even though you have the ability to help people learn to protect themselves, if they aren't willing to listen to your suggestions, there is no way you can help them. Even though you know this, however, it's still tough when you face such a situation.
A request came into your office from a local neighborhood that has been experiencing an increasing crime rate. The residents have asked if you will come teach them how to protect themselves.
You agreed to assess the neighborhood, look at houses and work up a plan that the residents could use to help clean up their neighborhood and make it a safer place to live. So you did.
You spent a week walking the neighborhood at various times of the day and night. You walked by every house in the area that wanted to participate, looking for ways they could protect themselves and take the power away from the criminals. And you spent hours preparing a presentation to help them understand the steps they needed to take to make their neighborhood the place they wanted it to be.
Then you spent several hours telling them what they could do to make the changes happen. You handed out checklists and pamphlets explaining how they could protect themselves. And the resistance you were met with surprised you.
You thought the group might need time to think about the advice that you had to give, so you agreed to come back and meet them again in about a week. You answered questions and handed out more brochures and checklists.
But still, the people who come to you for help are not willing to take your advice. There are arguments about the cost of the changes that you recommend. They don't want to have others watching their houses and they don't want to take turns watching other people's houses.
What do you do?