CRM201 CHAPTER 1

Page 1: Introduction

• Crime Prevention Lecturer: Dr. Hale Babadogan Kaya

• Institution: Murdoch University

Page 2: About Me

• Origin: Ankara, Turkey

• Education:

  • Graduated from Middle East Technical University, Sociology Department.

  • Ph.D. in Sociology.

• Areas of Interest:

  • Art comprehension in Ottoman Society and its evolution towards the Turkish Republic.

  • Topics: Techne, Heidegger, Art, philosophy of art, Modernization, deviance, crime, and sociology.

• Experience:

  • Travelled to various countries including Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, Iran, Sri Lanka, UAE, Italy.

  • Lived in Dubai for 12 years.

  • Family: One six-year-old daughter.

• Student Engagement:

  • Encouraged students to share their backgrounds and interests in Criminology online or in class.

Page 3: Studiosity

• Services Offered:

  • English writing feedback for draft essays and reports (returned in 24 hours).

  • Live online assistance from subject specialists in core areas (English, Science, Maths, Statistics).

  • Access through LMS; up to 20 submissions/sessions per year.

Page 4: Aims of the Unit

1. Understand theories underpinning crime prevention.

2. Analyze crime patterns for targeted prevention strategies.

3. Explore various theory-based strategies for controlling crime.

4. Recognize that crime prevention involves more than policing.

5. Identify modern policing issues and challenges in maintaining prevention successes.

Page 5: How to Study This Unit

• Suggested Resources:

  • Textbook: e-Copy available in the library.

  • Additional readings via MyUnitReadings link on LMS.

• Suggested Activities:

  • Form reading groups for discussion and debate.

  • Observe the environment (home, malls, nightlife).

• Important to pay attention to:

  • Information in unit guide regarding extensions, assignment submission, and assessment.

  • Start reading/literature search for essays right away.

Page 6: Today's Topics

• Key Concepts:

  • Opportunity theories of crime.

  • Situational crime prevention.

  • Rational Choice Perspective (RCP).

  • Understanding and analyzing crime patterns.

  • Routine Activity Approach (RAA).

  • Crime Pattern Theory (CPT).

  • Ten Principles of Opportunity and Crime.

• Suggested Readings:

  • Chapters 1 & 2 from the textbook on Environmental Criminology and RCP.

Page 7: Introduction to Crime Theories

• Historical Focus: Traditional theories prioritize understanding criminals and motivations rather than the circumstances of crime.

  • Questions addressed: Why do certain individuals become criminals?

• Critique of Traditional Theories:

  • Typically overlook environmental context and opportunity:

    • Explain when, where, and why crime occurs or varies.

Page 8: Contrasting Approaches to Theories

Opportunity Theories Focus On:

• Crime context & situational factors.

• Relational dynamics of events.

Traditional Theories Concentrate On:

• Individual dispositions and character traits.

• Distant vs. near causes affecting crime.

Page 9: Routine Activities Approach (RAA)

• Founded to explain predatory crime using three minimal elements:

  1. Motivated offenders.

  2. Suitable targets.

  3. Absence of capable guardians.

• Developed in 1979 by Cohen and Felson to elucidate post-WWII crime rate increases.

Page 10: Offender Perspective in RAA

• Motivated Offenders Questions:

  • Is the target suitable?

  • Is a guardian present?

• Motivational Factors:

  • Gain/need (e.g., poverty).

  • Societal/environmental influences (peer pressure, lack of education).

  • Beliefs about right and wrong.

• Control by Handlers:

  • Informal and formal guardianship to regulate offender behavior.

Page 11: The Target in RAA

• Definition: Target can be a person or object, distinct from a victim.

• Guardian Roles:

  • Guardianship not limited to police; anyone's presence can deter crime.

  • Types of guardians: informal (friends/family), formal (police/security), and inanimate (security devices).

Page 12: The Role of Time and Place in RAA

• Control of locations by managers (e.g., teachers, bar owners) impacts crime occurrences.

Page 13: Use of Routine Activities Approach

• Framework for analyzing crime events:

  1. Dynamics between offenders, targets, and places in time/space.

  2. Identifying intervention points for crime prevention.

• Convergence of factors is linked to daily life rhythms.

Page 14: Crime Pattern Theory

• Nodes (key locations) and paths (routes) frequented by individuals define awareness spaces.

• Crime is predictable based on intersections of offenders' awareness spaces and opportunities.

Page 15: Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in Crime Analysis

• GIS aids in understanding spatial/temporal crime distribution:

  • Analyzes patterns by time (hour, day, month).

  • Locates crime hotspots.

  • Geographic profiling estimates likely offender residence or movement.

Page 16: Incidents Cluster Factors

• Behaviors: Common activities related to crime.

• Places: Locations frequently involved in crime incidents.

• Persons: Groups or individuals often associated with crime.

• Times: Specific times when crime incidents tend to occur.

Page 17: Crime Pattern Theory Case Study

• Analysis of burglary in Perth showed distance-decay effect influenced offender choices.

Page 18: Situational Crime Prevention (SCP)

• Developed in the 1970s by Ron Clarke.

• Focuses on specific crime categories and their situational dynamics.

• Aims to reduce opportunities and alter cost/benefit perception of crime.

Page 19: Rational Choice Perspective (RCP) Introduction

• Source: Article by Leonard Buder on crime.

Page 20: Elements of Rational Choice Perspective

• Four Elements:

  1. Environment as a key determinant in crime.

  2. Environment offers stimuli and reinforcements for crime.

  3. Criminal acts are context-dependent and learned.

  4. Each crime functions distinctively for offenders.

Page 21: RCP Focuses on Offender Decision Making

• Decisions are influenced by time, cognitive ability, and information.

• Concept of bounded rationality: Offenders act based on the perceived rationale of the moment.

• Offending is viewed as purposeful behavior to achieve benefits.

Page 22: RCP Summary

• Non-criminal individuals may offend based on perceived risks and rewards.

• The decision-making process can be modified to reduce crime likelihood.

Page 23: Break Time

Page 24: Principles of Opportunity and Crime Introduction

• Crime necessitates physical opportunities.

Page 25: Ten Principles Overview

1. Opportunities cause crime.

2. Crime opportunities are specific.

3. Crime is concentrated in time/space.

4. Opportunities depend on daily movements.

5. One crime creates opportunities for others.

6. Some products are more tempting for crime.

7. Social and technological changes create new opportunities.

8. Opportunities can be reduced.

9. Reducing opportunities typically doesn’t displace crime.

10. Focused opportunity reduction can yield broader effects.

Page 26: Principle 1: Crime Causation

• Children are at risk from those granting access.

• Increased gun availability correlates with homicide rates.

Page 27: Principle 1 Continued

• Unique cases noted in gas suicide trends in the UK during the 1960s-70s.

Page 28: Principle 2: Specific Crime Opportunities

• Different burglars seek various items based on needs and methods for disposing stolen goods.

Page 29: Principle 3: Temporal and Spatial Concentration of Crime

• Crime prone locations change over time based on target availability and guardian presence.

Page 30: Principle 4: Everyday Movements

• Offender and target routines affect crime opportunities.

• Locations with specific contexts present varying risks.

Page 31: Principle 5: Interconnected Crimes

• Illustrates how one crime leads to others (e.g., burglary leading to various related offenses).

Page 32: Principle 5 Continued

• Patterns identified in theft cycles, where victims may steal to compensate for previous losses.

Page 33: Elements of CRAVED

• Concealable: Easily hidden items.

• Removable: Mobile items.

• Available: Abundant and accessible items.

• Valuable: Worth selling items.

• Enjoyable: Items providing immediate gratification.

• Disposable: Easily traded or sold items.

Page 34: Crime Categories and Trends

• Data showcasing the frequency and type of items stolen in burglaries from 1997-2003.

Page 35: Social and Technology as Crime Factors

• Examines the lifecycle of consumer goods and their vulnerability during innovation and growth stages.

Page 36: Prevention Through Opportunity Reduction

• Tailored situational prevention methods are essential for effective crime prevention including various policing strategies.

Page 37: Displacement Myths in Crime Reduction

• Analyzes flawed assumptions about displacement in crime due to opportunity reduction.

Page 38: Displacement Examples

• The example highlights drug market relocation vs. underlying reasons for establishment in certain areas.

Page 39: Broader Benefits of Focused Opportunity Reduction

• Focused interventions can result in widespread crime reduction, as evidenced in various studies.

Page 40: Conclusions on Opportunity Theories

• Opportunity has been previously neglected; focuses on environmental interactions with individuals.

• Opportunity theory offers insights into effective crime prevention by addressing controllable factors.

Page 41: Next Week's Lecture Overview

• Topic: Identifying crime problems. Required readings assigned.

Page 42: Main Structure of the Unit - SARA Model

• Four Steps:

  1. SCAN for crime problems.

  2. ANALYZE the problem.

  3. Find a practical RESPONSE.

  4. ASSESS the impact.

Page 43: Closing

• Thank you message and contact information for Dr. Babadogan.