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While some people are of the view that curbing criminal activities is the sole responsibility of the government, others opine that each person is responsible for their safety and protection. In my opinion, the government has a greater responsibility to keep criminal activities in check by enforcing stricter laws. Having said that, citizens also need to do whatever they can to ensure their safety.

On the one hand, some people feel that everyone of us should take care of our safety as police cannot be present everywhere at all times and this is true. For instance, thefts could occur in shops. The police cannot be present there all the time to prevent such incidents. Hence, it is the responsibility of the shop owners to take preventive measures such as installing an alarm or placing guards outside the shop. Customers also need to take care of their belongings to ensure that they are not robbed. Such measures can prevent many criminal acts from occurring. Thus, it is evident that each individual has a responsibility to ensure their safety.

On the other hand, there is a limit to what a person can do on their own. Only governments can enforce strict laws to keep the crime rate in check. Stringent laws will act as a deterrent and reduce the crime rate to a great extent. For example, in the Middle East (write: the Middle East) the punishments for each and every crime are so harsh that people do not dare to break any laws; as a result the crime rate in the Middle Eastern countries is the lowest in the world whereas in India the crime rate keeps on rising year after year because the laws are lenient and more often than not the criminals are let off very easily. Unfortunately, this encourages others to commit crime. Hence, the state has to own up the responsibility and enforce stern laws that will discourage people from committing crimes.

In conclusion, both the individuals and the government have the responsibility to prevent crime from occurring. The government should enact stringent laws to deter people from committing crimes. At the same time, people should also do whatever they can to ensure their safety.