Situational Crime Prevention
Situational crime prevention constitutes primary crime prevention measure. This is to say that it is aimed at deterring crime before it occurs. Situational prevention, like other similar primary prevention measures, focuses on subduing crime opportunities instead of the attributes of criminals or even potential criminals. It seeks to curtail opportunities for certain groups of crime by increasing the risks and difficulties associated with them and significantly reducing the rewards. Situational prevention is made up of three key elements: a sound theoretical framework, an authoritative methodology for dealing with specific crimes, and a collection of opportunity-reducing approaches (Felson & Clarke, 1997). …show more content…
The owners may also do some database search to ascertain that any used product they are purchasing is legitimately owned.
A fourth approach hinges on the belief that most criminals attempt to rationalize their behavior by abrogating the outcomes and therefore seeks to eliminate such tendencies to make excuses. Posting warning signs would be a good option. Signs would act as reminders of the danger of theft that constantly lurks in Starbucks premises. They could remind careless patrons of the dangers, and advice that they be wary of their belongings while inside Starbucks premises. The warning signs will prevent offenders from saying that they did not know. The final approach would be to reduce the resentment and hassle of everyday life by ensuring efficient queues and elegant service. This approach aims at checking the emotional aspect of crime. By limiting provocations, individuals are less likely to participate in crime.
The twenty-five situational crime prevention techniques outlined by Ronald Clarke that aim at reducing opportunities have shortcomings (Newman, Clarke & Shoham,1997). As new technologies come up, new and more effective techniques will be discovered, and most probably replace those listed previously. Additionally, not all techniques seem to be effective on every crime category. Some may be more or less suited to deter specific crimes. For example, reducing provocation is likely to succeed in a closed