Rational Choice Theory (criminology) - Situational Crime Prevention

Situational Crime Prevention

The main creation of the rational choice theory was to further aide and give focus to situational crime prevention.•Situational crime prevention comprises opportunity-reducing measures that (1) are directed at highly specific forms of crime, (2) involve management, design or manipulation of the immediate environment in systematic and permanent ways,(3) makes crime more difficult and risky, or less rewarding and excusable as judged by a wide range of offenders Rather than simply responding to crime after the fact, recent attention to crime prevention has focused on specific ways in which to modify the physical and social environment Changes to the physical environment have included such measures as: better streetscape and building design, improved lighting in public spaces, installations of deadlocks and alarms, property marking and identification, and traffic calming and creation of green belts Attempts have been made to extend the range of surveillance of local neighborhood activities, involving such measures as: establishment of neighborhood watch committees, employment of private security guards in residences and businesses, anti-racist/anti-fascists organizations and community watch committees to prevent police harassment Directing enhanced citizen participation programs that are not crime-centered would include for example sports and recreation programs, needle exchange programs and AIDS counseling, local employment initiatives funded by government grants and campaigns against poverty and unemployment