Crime Reduction and Prevention
Using the insight of the Rational Theorists, the objective of this work is to provide an explanation of why willing offenders are able to find suitable targets and/or an absence of guardians in these areas that make them so crime prone. This work will further, based upon the knowledge the writer possesses of the approaches that available for addressing crime and with the attitudes of the city of New York toward crime, recommendations will be developed for improvement of this 'hot spots'. There are many theoretical perspectives one might apply in attempting to address a solution for reduction of the extremely high rate of crime in such cities as New York and one of these is the theory of the 'Rationalists' which is quite similar to the situational prevention theory. The Rational Choice Theory is discussed in the work of Browning, Halcli and Webster (2000) entitled: "Understanding Contemporary Society: Theories of the Present" who state that this theory is one that makes the assumption that social phenomena that is complex is nature "can be explained in terms of the elementary individual actions of which they are composed." (Scott, nd) This view is referred to as one based on 'methodological individual
To explain social institutions and social change is to show how they arise as the result of the action and interactions of individuals. Effective application of this theory in view of crime reduction in any city and most certainly in New York City would involve policy implementation by means of a collective social induction throughout the entire city and to realistically accomplish this there is a second perspective that will be examined next which is the theory of environmental design and situational prevention. RATIONAL CHOICE THEORY From the perspective of the 'Rational Theorists' the factor of social interaction and exchange is key in promoting positive behavior because through this social relationship the individual is a member of the 'collective' whole and each individual in this collective whole has been active in the formation of policy and has thereby agreed to this policy. For example, monitoring of employees has become desirable due to the opportunity presented by lightweight electronic products, the ease of concealing these products and the demand on the black market for the same. This would involve the individuals in New York City in a social exchange that would be a subject of discussion among them and would provide motivation in the forms of cash awarded and the knowledge that this program exists and follows a continuum in combination of video monitoring of hot spots should prove to be a very effective means of crime reduction in the most crime ridden areas of New York City. (nd) Opportunity theory refers to changes in the nature and the amount of crime changing in relation to the availability of opportunity, which is posited by Clarke to be structural in nature. Felson and Clarke (1998) write in the work entitled: "Opportunity Makes the Thief: Practical Theory for Crime Prevention" that there are ten principles of 'crime opportunity theory' which they focus upon and which include: (1) opportunities play a causal role in all crime; (2) crime opportunities are highly specific; (3) Crime opportunities are concentrated in time and space; (4) crime opportunities depend on everyday movements of activity; (5) One crime produces opportunities for another; (6) Some products offer more tempting crime opportunities; (7) Social and technological changes produce new crime opportunities; (8) Crime can be prevented by reducing opportunities; (9) Reducing opportunities does not usually displace crime; and (10) Focused opportunity reduction can produce wider declines in crimes. " (Elster, 1989: 13; as cited in Scott, nd) This theory holds that individuals are motivated by their wants or goals and that they act within "specific, given restraints and on the basis of the information they have about the conditions under which they are acting. ADDRESSING HOT SPOTS IN NEW YORK CITY Crime reduction of New York City hot spots could be very simply applied through use of the rational choice theory and the environmental design and situational prevention theories through use of technological monitoring of these places and spaces within New York City and promote this to the public gaining their approval in this method of crime reduction which signifies their participation in the project implementation in reducing crime. Such analysis will include temporal and spatial pattering of specific crimes and may demand the collection of new data; (2) Systematic study of possible means of block opportunities for the occurrence of the crime; (3) the implementation of the most promising, feasible and economic measures; and (4) Monitoring of results and dissemination of experience. Crimes that are caught on video could then be broadcast to the public and monetary rewards given for crime-solving tips.
Common topics in this essay:
Situational Prevention,
York City,
Crime Prevention,
Society Theories,
Rational Theorists,
CHOICE THEORY,
Felson Clarke,
situational prevention,
york city,
crime opportunities,
design situational prevention,
Halcli Webster,
crime reduction,
environmental design situational,
design situational,
environmental design,
Ronald Clarke,
CITY Crime,
rational choice theory,
choice theory,
scott nd,
rational choice,
hot spots,
felson clarke 1998,
theory environmental design,
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Acceptance Essays
