Comparing dominant approaches to crime prevention in the criminal justice system

¶ … crime has been taking place. Although the forms of crime have evolved, so too has the strategies used to prevent crime. This essay will compare and contrast three of most common Crime Prevention strategies, which are, environmental design, social intervention and situational intervention. Crime prevention generally refers to preventing crime and anti-social behavior before it occurs. Crime Prevention Victoria, defines crime prevention as "any public or privately based initiative or policy aimed at reducing or eliminating criminal behavior, violence and fear of crime or violence in the community" (Armstrong, 2002). This essay aims to demonstrate not only the strengths and weaknesses of these three strategies but also to identify the individual crime causation theory that each strategy is based around. These being

One of the main crime prevention strategies used around the world is environmental design. This strategy is based on the relationship that is created between people and the environment around them. Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is defined as a multi-disciplinary approach to deterring criminal behavior through environmental design (Wayne,2007). Environmental designs have formed an integral part of many crime prevention initiatives in countries around the world. The term environment includes the people and their physical social surroundings (Crowe,2000). When examining environmental designs, criminal trends are often easy to identify, for example a research study taken in Greater Manchester in 2001-2003 revealed one quarter of all "street crimes," such as robbery and bag snatching, were occurring due to ATMs and around ATMs (Holt and Spencer, 2005). Therefore using environmental design to reduce the amount of crime located around ATMs would be to position ATMs in an area with the most traffic and visibility.

CPTED is formed around the concept that particular designs within a built environment can make a large impact on crime within that area "by reducing the opportunities for crime and improving the opportunities for policing" (Landman,2008). Some of the main principles associated with environmental design theory are "surveillance and visibility, territoriality and defensible space, access and escape routes, image and aesthetics and target-hardening" (Landman,2008). Oscar Newman's theory of defensible spaces is based around the concept of territoriality, which he defines as 'the capacity of the physical environment to create perceived zones of territorial influences' (Landman,2008). Although an outdated source the underlying principles are still used around the world for crime prevention.

By making it harder for people to gain access to certain areas, it limits their opportunities to commit crime. However it is also argued, that by employing target hardening tactics, it can result in the negative effects by blocking viewing access into an area therefore removing all surveillance and visibility (Anstey,2007). Both real and symbolic barriers can be used with this strategy to give this proportional effect and to warn outsiders that they have entered a private zone (Landman,2008). Physical design is the whole basis of this strategy, all designs aim to increase the level of natural surveillance by residents, open areas with no obstructions deter potential criminals and also lower peoples fear of crime (Landman,2008).

One of the extreme levels of environmental design strategies being used today is through gated communities. Gated communities are small groups of residents who are enclosed and separated from the rest of society. A good example of gated communities can be seen in South Africa, which is known for its extremely high crime rates, it also has the highest amount of gated communities (Landman,2008). Gated communities in South Africa incorporate all physical elements by either high walls, gates, electric gates, alarm systems, boom gates, check ins and even access cards (Landman,2008). Gated communities are created with the basic principles of the environmental design strategy (Landman,2008). These communities are defensible spaces, target hardened and have advanced access control. Throughout the U.S., two and a half million citizens live in gated communities (Blakely & Snyder 1998).

Environmental design theory also has a strong connection to routine activity theory. Routine activity theory states that for a crime to be committed, three things need to be present, an offender, a target and no one watching the target (Chainey,2005). Environmental theory aims at removing two of these mentioned items, by closing off areas to the public possible offenders are removed and by using such things as natural vision or CCTV there is always the possibility of someone watching. According to routine activity theory without any one of these items the crime can not take place (Chainey,2005).