Crime Prevention and Control of Crime

1) Right Realists - Emphasise the individual. People choose to commit crimes = weighing the benefits with the costs. Society needs to increase the risks / costs of crime. 

2) Left Realists - Focuses on the organisation of society = inequality, disadvanatage and poverty that result from this and which creates environments in which crime might be the norm. 

Places emphasis on the potential offender and their social context. 

It aims to remove conditions that predispose individuals to crime. 

More general social reform policies may have a role in prevention. 

The Perry Pre-school Project = Disadvantages black kids, 2 year intellectual enrichment programme. Longitudinal differences by age 40 had fewer arrests = there were more that graduated and more that were employed. 

Wilson and Kelling - Broken Windows Thesis = Signs of disorder in the neighbourhood. Leaving broken windows unrepaired sends out signals that some crimes are fine. 

No sense of formal / informal social control (police/ family). 

Police only concerned with serious crimes = turn a blind eye to less serious crimes, leaving the community feeling powerless. The area becomes a magnet for deviants as they feel they can get away with it. (Like IOS) 

Zero Tolerance 

The solution is to crack down on any disorder, using a two-fold strategy. 

1) Broken windows must be replaced immediately 

2) Police must adopt to it proactively, tackling the slightest sign of disorder. 

Pre-emptive approach relies on reducing the oppurtunity for crime 

With specific crimes - altering the immediate environment of some.

More effort to commit the crime and higher risks - reduce the rewards

Target Hardening - Rational Choice Theory.

Displacement - if they don't reduce crime they simply replace it. If criminals act rationally they will move to where the targets are softer.

 :( - It focuses on petty street crime rather than white collar crime 

:( - Assumes criminals make rational choices - but not if under the influence of alcohol or drugs.