Crime control, prevention and punishment

Question 1

Rational choice theory: Clarke

Answer 1

Assumes that individuals are calculating in pursuit of their own interests.
Felson+Clarke - Theft was more likely where attractive targets were accessible with a good chance of escapting without detection

Question 2

Situation Crime Prevention: Newman

Answer 2

• Argued that by changing the design of the streets and housing estates, it was possible to make them safer.
• The more private space that people had control over, which burglars would have crossed, the less likely burglaries are.

Question 3

Target Hardening:

Answer 3

Could be achieved by for example, improving locks on houses and windows, the use of car alarms and anit-theft devices.
EG. Estimated over 25 million CCTV cameras in the world and more than 1 million in the UK.

Question 4

Port Authority Bus Terminal 1980s: Manhattan

Answer 4

• Homeless people lived their, they took drugs had sex and fought with other groups.
• According to Felson, this is because of the deisgn of the area, it provided too much public space for criminals to move in too.
• Number of physical changes were made to the facility to reduce crime: Better lighting installed, so there were no dark corners, graffiti resistant stone walls introduced, toilet attendants emplyed.

Question 5

AO3: SCP:

Answer 5

CCTV in shops increase likelihood of shoplifters being caught.
Not everyone has the economic means to make themselves ‘harder targets’ by investing in more secuirty and surveillance.

Question 6

Wilson+Kelling: Broken window thesis:

Answer 6

• Any sign of environnmental decline must be tackled immediately, otherwise neighbourhood deterioration will follow.
• They argue leaving broken windows unrepaired, tolerating aggressive behaviour sends out a signal that no one cares.
• EG. 1993-96 in NY to tackle subway graffitti, drug dealing and begging, zero-tolerance policies were introduced.