NCJ Number
164760
Date Published
1995
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Opportunity-reducing crime prevention and opportunity theory are rapidly gaining currency in the criminological vocabulary, and the most general of opportunity-reducing approaches to crime prevention involves situational crime prevention.
Abstract
Situational crime prevention is defined as opportunity- reducing measures that are directed at highly specific forms of crime; that involve the management, design, or manipulation of the immediate environment in a systematic and permanent way; and that increase crime risks and reduce crime rewards. Situational crime prevention measures should be tailored to highly specific crime categories, and changing the environment is designed to affect perceptions of crime risks and rewards. Motivational concepts are relevant to situational crime prevention. At a general level, motivation to commit crime involves some benefit to the offender, and motivation cannot be separated from the situation in which criminal behavior occurs. Opportunity theory and opportunity-reducing crime prevention share a common view of offending as purposive behavior designed to meet certain needs of the offender. These needs include cash, sexual gratification, excitement, relief from boredom, admiration, and peer approval. Factors in the offender's history may increase the likelihood of criminal choices, but the decision to commit crime is heavily influenced by immediate opportunities and temptations. Blocking crime opportunities involves activities quite different from activities involved in reducing criminal motivation. The author recommends that criminologists conduct further research on motivation-reducing crime prevention methods. 42 references and 1 table