In the ongoing Rajya Sabha session, replying to a discussion on the working of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Union Home Minister stated that the three new criminal laws – Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita 2023, Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam 2023 – once fully implemented, will improve conviction rates to match or even surpass those of leading nations.

The verb ‘investigate’ and its inflections appear many times in a newspaper on any given day, in various contexts including crime, fraud and journalism. Many investigators work in silos, with a dream of discovering the truth. At times, success comes with great difficulty, but often, the complete truth remains uncovered for want of key connections or crucial pieces of information.

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In India, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported 16,000 serious crimes daily in 2022 – including 1,200 crimes against women and 445 against children. The conviction rate, which stood at 54.2 per cent in 2022, has been a concern, declining from 57 per cent in 2021 and 59.2 per cent in 2020. When crimes occur, the burden of investigation falls entirely on the police department. However, if the public cooperates, the collection of evidence becomes easier, leading to improved law and order. For example, the conviction rate was 80 per cent in Britain and 90 per cent in the USA, largely due to higher public participation in crime reporting and providing evidence.

For the new criminal laws to achieve their intended impact, community engagement in crime prevention and investigation is crucial. Public cooperation can significantly ease evidence collection, expediting investigations and ensuring justice.

Crime Stoppers: Many people, despite knowing crucial information about a crime, hesitate to speak directly to the police. They fear for their safety or worry about having to testify in court. Currently, to report a crime, individuals need to call the helpline number 112 or 100.

For instance, a student who identifies someone illegally distributing drugs in their college might want to stop the crime immediately. Previously, public telephone booths were available for such anonymous calls, but with mobile phones, that convenience is gone. Now, they must call from their personal mobile phone, and the visibility of the caller’s number to the recipient becomes a major obstacle, often deterring reporting.

To overcome this obstacle, several countries have introduced an anonymous reporting system called “Crime Stoppers”, a collaboration between law enforcement and civil society. When individuals call to report a crime, the technology ensures that their phone numbers remain hidden from the authorities. Unless they choose to reveal, their name and details cannot be traced.

Crime Stoppers was first established in the USA in 1976 (1-800-222-TIPS). Later, it was adopted in Britain (0800 555 111), Australia (1800 333 000), South Africa (08600 10111) and so on. The involvement of civil society has helped these systems gain public trust. In some cases, informants are secretly rewarded. In states like California, the ‘P3 Mobile Crime Tips’ app are also available for anonymous reporting.

In the UK alone, Crime Stoppers has led to the arrest of 151,000 criminals and the seizure of illegal drugs worth £360 million. In Australia, an anonymous caller’s information helped authorities seize 896 kilograms of methamphetamine (valued at AUD 820 million) last year.

Beyond numbers, Crime Stoppers is reported to have increased public awareness of crime-problem and improved relationships between the police and the community.

Crime Alerts: According to NCRB, 83,350 children went missing in 2022. Recently, the Central government informed the Supreme Court that nearly 36,000 are missing without a trace across India since 2020, even with data from eight states unavailable.

The USA introduced ‘AMBER (America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response) Alert program’ mainly for crimes like child abductions in response to the 1996 abduction and murder of nine-year-old Amber Hagerman in Texas.

When serious crimes occur, police issue alerts to gather information and solve cases. Immediately after a crime, warnings can be sent through TV, radio, roadside digital boards, social media, and, mainly, through SMS in local languages.

In Massachusetts, when an 11-year-old girl was kidnapped, key information from witnesses who received the alert helped safely rescue her. As of 2024, the AMBER Alert system has helped recover over 1,300 children in the USA alone. It is currently implemented in all 50 U.S. states and across 27 countries worldwide.

In addition, Silver Alerts assist in locating missing elderly individuals and Blue Alerts when police officers are attacked. Various alert systems are also in place to address severe weather conditions, public safety threats and national emergencies.

India can enhance public participation in crime control by implementing Crime Stoppers and crime alert systems. India has already developed Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) based Integrated Alert System with Cell Broadcast technology that can provide location based targeted disaster alerts to notify the users with early warning message along with sound in regional languages. The technology, currently used for disaster alerts, could be adapted for crime alerts.

With rising crime rates and low conviction rates, empowering citizens with anonymous reporting and real-time alerts can enhance safety. As ‘Charlotte Crime Stoppers’ rightly claims, communities always show a willingness to fight back against crime – if given the opportunity and motivation.

Efforts to improve conviction rates and ensure swift justice can effectively be supported by strengthening public participation in crime prevention and investigation. Law and order being a state subject, states also may consider taking the lead in adopting these measures. This multi-pronged approach – combining anonymous reporting, real-time alerts and media engagement – is essential for building trust between the public, law enforcement and the media, ensuring a more transparent, accountable and safe democratic society.

(The writer is a transparency and equality reporter and author. The views expressed are personal.)