Crimes are committed within community-by-community members. Criminals are group of people in a society who in one way or another (knowingly or unknowingly) violate the rules that society has set for themselves. Usually, community members create rules to control behaviors that could lead to breach of the peace. Since criminal are part of the society, it is the responsibility of the community to identify crime and perpetrators of crime and report them to law enforcement authorities. It is therefore, proper to say that communal security remain at hands of its members.

The Constitution of the United Republic of Tanzania of 1977, require for every Tanzania citizen, to protect himself and his community, to protect public property, private property, national borders and preserve national security in general (Articles: 27,28 and 146). In order to ensure that this duty is fulfilled the community needs to understand crime and its consequences as well as understand laws, regulations and procedures with a view to stimulating voluntary action in law enforcement. Recognizing the importance of concerted efforts to eradicate crime, the police force states: “The fight against crime is a shared responsibility between the Police Force, civilians and other stakeholders in order to overcome all forms of crime.”

As a civil society organization, PESACO educates the community about crime and its effects with a belief that public awareness and participation will increase efficiency in identifying, preventing and resolving crime and fear of crime.

Methods used to provide education are as follows: -

1.      Collaborate with local governments and community policing groups to ensure the community receives education on the importance of protecting themselves and identifying crime and criminals in their neighborhoods;

2.      Participate and request opportunities to provide education at villages/streets and local meeting;

3.      Organize outreach programs from household to household to deliver appropriate education;

4.      Organize educational seminars for citizens and civil servants;

5.      Collaborate with private institutions with similar goals;

6.      Collaborate with government and its respective institutions (i.e Police)

7.      Prepare books, articles and educational leaflets;

8.      Use our social media networks;

9.      Publish educational articles on our website.