Compare and Contrast the Current Dominant Approaches to Crime Prevention Introduction

Given the diverse definitions of crime prevention, Schneider looks at it from the consequences approach. He defines it as a program or strategy that serves the purpose of preventing the occurrence of criminal acts or behaviors from emerging (2014). The outcome of such a definition has seen crime prevention defined as a “reduction in or prevention of specific criminal events” (Schneider, 2014, p. 6). Moreover, it is defined regarding reduction in the number of criminal offenders showing that the harm has been either reduced or prevented. Furthermore, the definition looks at the strategy as having reduced the number of harmed victims. Moreover, prevention is the fourth pillar and other institutions like courts, police, and corrections fall in that category. Crime prevention has dominant approaches used by law enforcement, courts, corrections, family, or community, which are all components of the criminal justice system. The following study identifies crime prevention appropriates whilst classifying their efficiency and the one that is appropriate in tackling the growing crime levels in eth united States.

Dominant Approaches to Crime Prevention

Law Enforcement

Law enforcement considers its dominant approaches to crime prevention to be a community, social development, situational and policing. In situational prevention, interventions are designed to deter the occurrence of crime by reducing offender’s opportunities thereby increasing their difficulty and risk. The techniques used for situational prevention include increasing efforts required to committing a crime, controlling the access to the target, and target hardening. Others include having control over the tools used to commit a crime and increasing the levels of guardianship or even formal surveillance (Shaw & United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2010).

In contrast, community prevention looks at those interventions designed to bring change to social institutions and conditions like clubs, families, social norms, and peers among others that may influence offending activities in residential communities. The risk factors that force individuals to commit a crime include drug addiction, poverty, having a weak self-esteem, bad acquaintances, and dropping out...

The diverse approaches used in community prevention are community policing, neighborhood watch, multi-disciplinary efforts, and the physical or urban design (Shaw & United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, 2010).
Policing is where police and researchers have developed different policing philosophies, strategies, and methods with the aim of dealing with increasing crime rates. Hot spot policing is one such strategy that has been able to identify areas with high crime rates. Furthermore, the policing approach has managed to formulate effective strategies to respond to these hot spots (Braga & Weisburd, 2010). Police departments have been able to use a systemic four-stage approach to solving their problems called SARA (scanning, analysis, response, and assessment) Model. As such, the police will be addressing causes and not mere symptoms, which consequently has greater impact when it comes to crime prevention. The advent of new technologies has also come in handy for police departments because it means that communication between agencies has now been increased. Moreover, handling of large sources of data is no longer a problem because it has helped them in identifying crime patterns and police have managed to prevent crime through it.

Crime prevention through social development (CPSD) is a proactive approach that seeks guidance from the social and economic factors associated with criminal behavior. The major concern of CPSD is to keep crime from happening in the first instance and has a goal of improving the quality of life for those who are at risk. Therefore, it is seen as a preventive approach and the interventions applied will need to meet the changing needs present in the life of a given individual over some years. The risk factors addressed by CPSD have been made possible through the efforts of various social development programs, services, and policies such as social services, social housing, health, education, and income security (Schneider, 2014).

Courts and Corrections

Courts and corrections look at deterrence, incapacitation, community restraints, rehabilitation, discipline and challenge, structure, and the combining of rehabilitation and restraint. Incapacitation is the punishment given to the offender is aimed at preventing future occurrence or reoccurrence of crime through permanently removing the…