COMMUNITY, Investigation, STREET CRIMES, PERPETRATED, CHILDREN IN CONFLICT WITH THE LAW 

The study assessed the community participation in the investigation of street
crimes perpetrated by the children in conflict with the law in the Province of Pangasinan.
The variables of the study were case handling, case reporting, and case monitoring.
The respondents composed of the police personnel of Pangasinan PPO, the social
workers, and the victims assessed the community participation in the investigation of
street crimes perpetrated by the children in conflict with the law in the Province of
Pangasinan, the problems encountered and the proposed measures for these
problems. By using inferential statistics, the differences in the answers between the
respondents were also measured. An action plan to enhance the community
participation in the investigation of children in conflict with the law was proposed.
Based on the results of the study, the following were concluded: The police
personnel of Pangasinan PPO, the social workers, and the victims assessed the
community participation in the investigation of cases perpetrated by children in conflict
with the law in Pangasinan as highly effective. Avoidance of violence or unnecessary
force in handling of CICL, guaranteeing case confidentiality and identity of the CICL,
and timely, complete and comprehensive documentation of CICL are necessary. The
serious problems confronting the community participation in the investigation of CICL
cases in Pangasinan were due to mostly negligent parents, police stations not
conducive for keeping CICL identity confidential, and absence of concrete program for
CICL in the Province of Pangasinan. Proper grooming of police officers to gain respect,
providing custodial facilities for children, having social welfare officers as “standing
guardian” for children and strict gag order on the identity of the CICL, and create
database for case monitoring of CICL were the major recommendations. Both groups
of respondents have different assessments on the effectiveness of community
participation and problems encountered in the investigation of CICL in terms of case
handling, case reporting, and case monitoring. The proposed measures for case
handling and reporting were unanimous for the respondents, but they had different
views on the proposed measures for case monitoring. To enhance community
participation in the investigation of street crimes perpetrated by the children in conflict
with the law in Pangasinan, concrete program components were proposed such as
Skills Training on Investigation and Handling CICL Assigning Special Custodial

Facilities for CICL Investigation, and Comprehensive Provincial Program for the Welfare
of the Children and Youth in Pangasinan.
Based on the conclusions of the study, the following were the recommendations:
As avoidance of force in case handling, case confidentiality and incomplete
documentation were the main weaknesses found in the study, there is a need to train
arresting police office and investigators on the proper way of handling CICL cases. This
will be done through knowledge-assessment of the police personnel on handling CICL,
making a priority list, conduct of the program and evaluation of the program. Mandate
all police stations to have special custodial facilities for CICL. Either this would be in the
police stations or in other places where the hosts were amenable. This is to ensure
case confidentiality and identity anonymity of the children. Create a memorandum
mandating all arresting officers and investigators to observe dress code and
communicate gently with the children. List also the contact numbers of social workers
who will be called if the need arises. Database for CICL cases with security measures
for case confidentiality must also be established inn every police station. A long-term
strategic planning must be formulated by the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office on
how to curb the criminality level being committed by the children in Pangasinan. The
police force must include in its rationale the role of children as potential criminals; thus
the immediate need to prevent this from happening. For a comprehensive community
participation in the investigation of street crimes perpetrated by CICL, Pangasinan PPO
must train as many police personnel as possible on case handling, reporting and
monitoring. This must be aligned to the Comprehensive Provincial Program for the
Welfare of the Youth and Children in Pangasinan.