Toward a Common-Sense Approach in Crime Control (From Crime Prevention, P 19-34, 1981, Eckart Kuhlhorn and Bo Svensson, ed. - See NCJ-86454)

• NCJ Number: 86455
• Author(s): R J Vader
• Date Published: 1981
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Liber Distribution Foerlagsorder
• Language: English
• Country: Sweden
• Note: Available on microfiche as NCJ-86454

Annotation

This article analyzes crime control measures in terms of stimulus/response, critiques the reactive approach, and argues for crime control strategies that are proactive and geared to reducing the risks and fears of victimization.

Abstract

Crime control usually exists as crime specific countermeasures which are activated only after the public demands law enforcement controls to meet a recognized crime problem. Instead of an ad hoc, piecemeal response, crime control policies should be geared to specific objectives, conceptualized in terms of their relationship to the perpetrators, the victims, or the available crime opportunities. The perpetrator orientation should include both preventive measures to forestall deviant behavior as well as improved detection, apprehension, conviction, and rehabilitation efforts. Potential victims should be educated on elementary precautions and encouraged to report crimes. Crime control at the situational level should promote architectural designs that discourage criminal behavior and emphasize defensible measures. Such a program requires good community-police relations, problem diagnosis, goal definition, implementation, and evaluation. Charts and two footnotes are provided.