CRIME PREVENTERS A TOOL FOR SOCIAL COHESION IN COMMUNITY POLICING OF UGANDA

Abstract

Crime Preventers remains the most divisive subject matter particularly between the
current government of Uganda and political opposition groups; mainly FDC, DP,
CP, JPAM2 who referred to crime preventers as “militia force” for genocide. At
the heart of this matter is the issue of contested human rights abuses3 and
recruitment procedures.4
There is little research on the subject “Crime
Preventers”5 as a result many have misinterpreted it as an abuse of human rights.6
However, the issue of crime preventers is also supported by criminologist theories
as
a protection of human rights.7 The article shows that crime preventers is an
historical colonial establishment in post colonial countries, and that current
government is modernizing8 the historical concept to meet the demands of
community. This article is designed to alert those engaged in crime prevention
policy making, planning that traps and pitfalls exist for the hasty and unwary. It
will, furthermore, suggest strategies that may be employed to avoid them