Neoclassical theory in criminology

Neoclassical

Neoclassicism -- Deterrence and Neighborhood Watches

The neoclassical school of criminology stresses the importance of free will and individual choice. Criminals, the theory holds, decide to commit crimes as free human beings, just as most human beings chose not to commit crimes or chose to devote themselves to limiting the spread of crime (O'Connor 2005). Neoclassical thought is founded upon idea "it is better to prevent crimes than to punish them" or that deterrence is the ultimate goal law enforcement, not retribution or social engineering. The assumptions of the school suggest that people are rational, wish to avoid pain, and that the punishment should fit the crime but should be severe enough to reduce crime as a whole within society. It takes a community approach to deterrence, rather than stressing the reform of the individual criminal through either excessively severe punishments, as was common in ancient times, or even though education and rehabilitation as is common today

This rationalistic but humane approach to crime prevention suggests that it is uniquely applicable to a Neighborhood Watch, "a crime prevention program that stresses education and common sense" and "teaches citizens how to help themselves by identifying and reporting suspicious activity in their neighborhoods...Neighborhood Watch groups typically focus on observation and awareness as a means of preventing crime and employ strategies that range from simply promoting social interaction and 'watching out for each other' to active patrols by groups of citizens" ("About Neighborhood Watch," 2007, the USAOnWatch Website). This sense of common, community surveillance and the knowledge that crime is likely to be spotted and reported in a timely fashion in a tight-knit, primarily residential area such as a suburb acts as a powerful deterrent to criminals, even to criminals from nearby urban locations. Essentially, the criminals will go 'shopping' for better and easier opportunities to commit crime elsewhere if they know everyone, not simply the police, are watching the area.

Neighborhood Watches traditionally adopt what is known as an opportunity reduction approach to crime. This approach maximizes crime reduction through observation to restore informal control of an area and fosters a sense of neighborhood responsibility -- everyone in the community is responsible for keeping an eye out on one another, and community members are united by their common status as law-abiding citizens. "In one community in California auto theft rate at a company had risen 300%, Neighborhood Watch was developed in the area and by the end of the year the car theft rate had dropped by 35%" ("About Neighborhood Watch," 2007, the USAOnWatch Website). Neighborhood Watches have been criticized for not attempting to integrate members of the community who are at a high risk of committing crimes, like juveniles, by incorporating after-school programs for at risk youths into the watch, but it could be argued that the sense of community conveyed by being on the side of the law, as opposed to against it, has an unintended positive effective of diminishing the attractiveness of committing crimes amongst citizens within the community.

Another component to deterrence is "Hardening Up" or Target Hardening, another frequent part of Neighborhood Watches ("What is a Crime Alert: Target Hardening," 2007, Business Crime Direct). This involves making the community less attractive for criminals by adding alarm systems to homes, adding surveillance recording devices to businesses, and even simply upgrading bolts and locks or adding shutters to houses. Hardening up is also one way to potentially reduce the volume of complaints received about suspicious behavior, deviant behavior, and crime, by creating a secure environment that is dependent upon more than simply the community's watch with human eyes and ears.