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Lesson Idea

Reporting Crimes To Police

Theme: Why Crime Stoppers Works
Relates to WACC: ACHCK050, ACHCK062, ACHCK078, ACHCK094, VCCCC036, VCCCG020, VCCCL022, VCCCL034
  • Why a person reports a crime may depend on their circumstances i.e. are they the victim, a bystander or unseen witness? Discuss with students why each of these circumstances affects people’s actions.
  • Provide the class with a copy of the Reasons for reporting a crime handout. Explain the scenario and activity. Students will be placed into groups of 3. Each group is to nominate a victim, bystander and unseen witness. Each role member selects reasons from the list for reporting the crime:
    1. have feelings of social responsibility and clear ideas between right and wrong
    2. want to reduce the impact of crime on local communities
    3. have been directly affected by crime on their lives or property (if things stolen etc.)
    4. believe that it will make a difference
    5. increase their personal safety
    6. help police charge the person and prevent them from committing it again
    7. access help and support services
    8. apply for financial assistance
    9. make an insurance claim for damaged or stolen property

Each group discusses their decisions and choosing a spokesperson, reports back to class.

  • A person’s decision whether to report a crime to police may be influenced by a range of factors such as:
    • the characteristics of the victim
    • the nature of the offence
    • attitudes towards police
    • the victim’s relationship to the offender.

Hold a class discussion on why each of these may prevent people from reporting a crime to the police.

  • Make comparisons with classroom/playground environment – what systems are in your school for reporting antisocial behaviour or rule breaking. Discuss what works, what doesn’t and why?

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