Theories Of Situational Crime Prevention

Decision making plays an important role in our lives daily, whether they’re poorly made decisions or not. When committing a crime, the criminal has to make the decision of whether to commit the crime or not. In the theory Rational Choice Theory believes criminals who commits crime often weighs the benefit and the cost - the weigh of benefit usually overweighs the cost of the crime. Situational Crime Prevention being an effective way for crime prevention and cost-effective, there are five broad categories in crime prevention: increase the effort, increase the risk, reduce the rewards, reduce provocations, and remove excuses. (Boyd. 2015) Crimes are committed when an opportunity is available and depending on the circumstances and person. There’s

Impulsive decision making would be committing a crime without thinking, they’re usually made too quickly. Imperfect decision making would be someone receiving the wrong/misleading informations, example, “I didn’t know they had security cameras.” Being under influences, such as intoxication from alcohol or drugs or even from emotions are impaired decision making. (Boyd, 2015) Although decision making is a big part of committing crimes the person committing the crime has to decide the benefit of the crime has to outweigh the cost. This theory is known as Rational Choice Theory, a modern version of Classical School Thinking (Boyd, 2015). Situational Crime Prevention seeks to alter the costs and benefits involved in crime choices, it is also known as a very effective way of preventing crime and most cost-effective. Situational Crime Prevention also factors in the importance of the environment, product and system. (Boyd, 2015) There are five broad categories in Crime Prevention for Situational Crime Prevention: increase the effort needed to commit a crime by making the target harder to get to, increase the risks

Hayward argued, “despite considerable success in combating certain forms of economic/acquisitive criminality, much of this Rational Choice Theory inspired Situational Crime Prevention lacks reflexivity.” (Hayward, 2007) Hayward criticizes how Rational Choice Theory emerges from the discipline and behavioural psychology, he believes that Rational Choice Theory may not be the best theory and believes that people should use Cultural Criminology, a theory where crimes are in the context of culture. “Cultural Criminology points to the subjective experiences and highly textured socio-cultural situations behind all crimes.” (Hayward, 2007) Theory’s as to why people commit crime and Situational Crime Prevention practices aren’t as effective as many claim for it to be. Essentially, Hayward believes Rational Choice Theory is not a valid theory and people should use Cultural Criminology, however, Farrell thinks Haywards argument was poorly written and Rational Choice Theory is still the best theory to