Rational Perspective

As you might have remembered from previous lessons, rational choice theories state that crime only happens after careful thought.

Routine Activities Theory

This theory was developed by Lawrence E. Cohen and Marcus Felson and was published in 1979.

The core of the theory states that there are three factors that must be present for crime to happen successfully:

• a motivated offender;
• a suitable target; and,
• lack of a guardian

The theory does not go into why these factors exist in any location nor does it attempt to explain how these factors came to be. Only that crime happens when these factors are present.

From the perspective of this theory, crime is not something extraordinary, but something that is simply part of daily life.

Rational Choice Theory

Cesare Beccaria explains that humans are rational beings who weigh all the possible outcomes of each action that is favorable with their own personal interests. People calculate the possible outcomes of their own actions and attempt to maximize their gains in any situation and minimize losses.

Broken Window Theory

This theory was suggested by George Kelling and James Wilson. The core of the theory is that visible signs of crime, antisocial behavior, and civil disorder, such as a broken window, create an environment that encourages further crime and disorder, and can subsequently lead to more serious crimes.

Kelling and Wilson asserted that vandalism and smaller crimes would normalize larger crimes. They also remarked that signs of disorder stirred up feelings of fear in residents and harmed the safety of the neighborhood as a whole.

CPTED

In relation to the broken window theory, the CPTED, or Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, was developed as a response. It refers to the use of proper and effective use of environmental design to help reduce the occurrence of crime.

These are the principles of CPTED:

• Natural Access Control designing buildings such that entrance and egress into them is easily regulated, e.g. using maze entrances in public lobbies
• Natural Surveillance creates a feeling of being monitored and having no chance of escape on the part of the criminal, e.g. using CCTV
• Territorial Reinforcement enhancing the appearance that a building is guarded and secured and is meant only for legitimate occupants, e.g. having signages that is clearly visible at all entrances
• Maintenance this serves as a warning to others that a building is well-maintained and protected, e.g. cleaning and grooming public areas
• Target Hardening making a building or any establishment appear hard to enter via illicit means, e.g. the use of deadbolt locks

Crime Pattern Theory

This theory is closely related to the Rational Choice Theory and the Routine Activities Theory and is based on the belief that offenders may come across or conduct search for possible targets. The environmental conditions, daily routines of the target, including the movements from one place to another are observed as patterns on the execution of a pre-determined approach to the perpetuation of a crime.

Deterrence Theory

This states that severe, certain, and swift punishments are the means of controlling crime.

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