Situational crime prevention theory and practice

Situational crime prevention focuses on the measures how to reduce the circumstances and conditions for criminals to commit a crime. The theory takes different theoretical approach than most criminological theories which dealt with etiological problems “post delictum”. Situational crime prevention theory is mostly preoccupied with models, which have a purpose to reduce criminal opportunities. Instead of dealing with a past, the theory uses empirical knowledge and is focused on a future.

Situational crime prevention theory has a practical application in designing urban residences, which use security alarms systems, detectors, security doors and other security devices and technologies. The goal of improving home security is to make imagined target of crime less reachable to criminals. Tight home security will eventually require a better planning of burglary, larger efforts to get insight of home security and motivation for achievement of criminal goals. If home security surveillance and monitoring system has the latest available technology, the criminals will probably give up making a burglary.

Rational choice theory can be implemented in this case, because the crime is a choice, which includes economic dimension. If the cost of preparing burglary is too high i.e. it doesn’t pay off, the criminal will make a calculation and conclude that a target is not worth of his efforts. The doors alone will not prevent someone from entering, but the risk of being caught “in flagranti” certainly does prevent  burglaries from happening.

Two major research fields in criminology theory: etiology and phenomenology.  In situational crime prevention theory, phenomenology is more expressed than etiology. Etiology looks at causes, while phenomenology looks at types and developments of crime. Phenomenology reviews criminal statistics, changes in crime rate of violent, sexual, property, white collar and other types of crime. It also draws conclusions about crime trends and effectiveness of police, using statistical values. There are various sources of crime statistics, but the main are: the police statistics,  the Court statistics and State attorney's statistics ( public prosecutor). For example, the police makes monthly, quarterly, half yearly or yearly reports on the number presumptive criminals and reported probable crimes. The police statistics is often used to make certain changes in the police organization like: to advertise need for new employees, to change its organizational structure into higher or lower category of police station, to estimate or make security analysis of certain geographical area or city, to make changes of police management or other.