Two Main Causes of Street Crime in Cambodia

Street crime is considered to be a common theft act that usually happens in many countries around the world. In Cambodia, on the other hand, street crime is one among many other different kinds of crime that remain a concern to city dwellers and local residents. It is seen that crime in Cambodia is reported to have risen by five percent in the first half of 2017 (Chhay Channyda). In this regard, the number of victims losing their own property has been largely increasing, and this rate has caused a terribly great worry to people about their safety. These mentioned consequences are the reasons to that causes of street crime. Therefore, there are two main reasons for criminals committing street crimes, including poor law practice and reinforcement and illegal drug use.

We cannot deny that Cambodia is a developing country where criminal law practice has a limitation; that is, there is criminal law in the country, but the law practice is still poor. Thus, those who do the criminal act can easily escape from being captured. This is the reason why criminals are willing to commit crimes, as they realize that although they are arrested, they can still be released some days. Moreover, although the government has tried and been trying to enforce the criminal law, the practice is not perfectly made yet, which as a result, makes criminals feel less concerned whenever committing a crime.

The second reason for crime commitment is illegal drug use. The drug, which includes heroin and cocaine, is the main topic that the government is trying to combat with and find a solution whereby it can be totally eliminated. Although the police have taken action against illegal drugs, their trafficking still happens in the country. This means that when people are addicted or dependent on drugs, they need to commit street crimes such as robbery, pickpocketing, and so on. The National Authorities Combatting Drugs (NACD) made 84 percent more for illegal drugs last year than they did in 2016 (Khoun Narim).

In conclusion, street crime is one of the common criminal act happens in Cambodia. It is seen that poor law practice and enforcement and illegal drug use are the two main causes of crime. Therefore, in order to ensure that street crime will be reduced, the government should take immediate action to strengthen law practice and combat illegal drugs. Once the action is taken effectively, the street crime rate will be able to be eliminated.

Works Cited

1. Chhay Channyda: "Crime is up slightly since the start of 2017." phnompenhpost.com. Phnom Penh Post. 25 July 2017. Web. 21 November 2018.
2. Khoun Narim: "Drug busts are on the rise in Cambodia." Khmertime.com. Khmer Times. 5 Feb 2018. Web. 21 November 2018.

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