Social functions of district crime prevention, citizen safety and public order programmes

It could be assumed on the basis of the content analysis of the programmes that the representatives of safety and order administration did not have any idea about the role to be fulfilled by the district programmes. By making a reference to criminology theories, criminal policy, management sciences and sociology of local community it is nevertheless possible to identify potential functions of the district programmes. These programmes may be viewed as special prevention programmes, as a tool for managing local safety and as an instrument of public mobilisation. It follows from the questionnaires and in-depth interviews that these functions are currently fulfilled to some degree. While it is true that freedom with respect to the form and contents of district programmes that had been given by the legislator resulted mostly in the fact that many respondents currently view these programmes only as "materialised” (paper-based) information about division of tasks and obligations in the field of safety that is in force in the district. Nevertheless, an in-depth analysis of respondents' statements also allows for noticing other features of district programmes that are connected with the presented functions. It must however be noted that the suggested, fuller implementation of any proposed function would require appropriate institutional and social changes. Furthermore, it is possible to create a more complex solution of a programmatic nature that, besides making the part of reality to which it applies institutionalised, would promote optimisation of actions taken on its basis, while at the same time ensuring that social participation is maintained at a satisfactory level