Which term best describes actions and initiatives by police to address root causes of crime in a neighborhood?

• A. Reactive enforcement
• B. Military-style patrols
• C. Community policing initiatives
• D. Privatized security

Answer: (C)

The main idea here is that true crime reduction comes from a proactive, collaborative approach where police work with the community to address underlying factors that contribute to crime. This is what community policing initiatives aim for: building partnerships with residents, businesses, schools, and service organizations to identify problems, understand the root causes—such as poverty, lack of opportunities, housing instability, and social issues—and implement solutions together. Because the focus is on prevention and making the neighborhood safer by solving the real drivers of crime, this approach also strengthens trust and legitimacy between the police and the community, which in turn helps long-term cooperation.

Reactive enforcement, by contrast, responds after crimes occur and doesn’t systematically address underlying causes. Military-style patrols rely on heavy policing tactics and deterrence through force rather than collaboration. Privatized security involves private firms and generally doesn’t center on public-police-community relationships or shared problem-solving.