Agricultural crimes are the easiest type of crimes to perpetrate and are very lucrative financially. The assumption is that these criminals won't be pursuing a career change any time soon. The Israeli government, together with the Knesset and law enforcement agencies, must prioritize eradicating this scourge as a national objective by making these types of crimes impossible to carry out and unprofitable.
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When I began studying the characteristics of these crimes and the way they are handled up and down the chain, I understood that the primary problem was a severe crisis of trust. It starts with the farmer, who feels abandoned and alone on the front lines, without security or insurance. Unlike other Israelis in their own homes in cities, for example, the farmer lacks even a minimal sense of personal security. Unlike everyone else with car, home, or business insurance, for instance, he doesn't have financial security or support when he is criminally victimized. This crisis of trust was evidenced by figures published this week by the "HaShomer HaChadash (New Guard)" organization, whereby one-third of these crimes are not reported. The reason I've heard time and again over the years: "Why should I waste my time filing a complaint when it will end in lack of public interest."
This crisis of trust also permeates the law enforcement agencies, affecting the dedicated Border Policemen and police officers in the field who work hard and around-the-clock to defend the farmers and apprehend the culprits. They have described acts of courage and devotion to catching these vandals, thieves, arsonists โ and then I realize that they, too, are mired in the same cycle of disappointment and despair as these criminals are repeatedly released from custody and immediately return to committing the same offenses. They feel a sense of embarrassment and failure toward the farmers, who always have the impression that they are alone in this fight.
When Ayelet Shaked was justice minister, we asked that the judges be exposed to the array of destructive consequences of these agricultural crimes. The actual punishment is often too lenient, which only reinforces the sense that this type of crime simply pays.
Settlement Affairs Minister Tzachi Hanegbi proposed โ and I concur โ immediately establishing a public security cabinet. The system needs to focus on taking this step and working together, with maximal coordination: law enforcement, police, volunteers, farmers, farmers' organizations, the prosecution, the courts, lawmakers and the government, all must work in unison to map out the most pressing needs on the ground, allocate resources and "smart" technological systems to the policemen, and provide the requisite budget for increasing the presence of law enforcement personnel.
The existing holes in the chain must be identified so that legislation can be tailored to the current realities. Legislation pertaining to protection and racketeering needs to be amended. Everyone involved in fighting agricultural crime must meet in the same room and ensure the efficient use of the resources needed to target this as a national priority and change the situation on the ground.
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