Jezreel B. Vicente, PhD1 and Lynden C. Codmor, MSCrim2
1 Faculty, University of Baguio
Baguio City, Philippines
2 Faculty, Mountain Province State Polytechnic College
Bontoc, Mountain Province
Abstract
This study aimed to know the crime prevention programs of the Municipality of Bontoc in Mountain Province as to their indigenous crime prevention programs, the implementation of crime prevention efforts of police and public officials as well as the extent of participation of the residents of the same place. There were 356 respondents of the study who were composed of 44 Bontoc Municipal Police Station personnel, 30 public barangay/municipal/provincial officials, and 282 residents of Bontoc. This study was conducted in the first quarter of 2016, using the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to answering the problems of the study. After the investigation, it revealed that indigenous crime prevention practices in Bontoc include pechen system, ator system, maipaila system, and fagfaga system. All these practices are used as means of crime prevention and to some extent indigenous prosecution. The crime prevention program of the Municipality of Bontoc was much implemented relative to the three (3) elements of crime such as motive, opportunity, and instrumentality. The residents sometimes participated in the crime prevention activities, however, the police and official respondents claimed that the residents often participated. The police and public officials had similar perceptions as compared to the residents’ evaluation of the implementation of the crime prevention program.
Keywords: Crime Prevention Program, Indigenous Crime Prevention Program, Motive, Opportunity, Instrumentality, Public Officials