3.2 = contribution of agencies Flashcards
How can the environment affect the level of crime in an area
The environment can influence potential offenders by providing them with opportunities to commit crime as well as affecting people’s ability to have control over their surroundings.
This can be changed by councils and builders who can design the environment purposefully with the aim of reducing crime
Who proposed the theory of defensible and indefensible spaces
Newman
What is an indefensible space?
An indefensible space is an area that is deemed to be owned by nobody (eg alleyways and stairwells). In these areas crime is more likely to occur
What did Newman’s high rise block study show in NYC
That 55% of crimes that occurred in public spaces (stairwells, hallways, lifts) were due to people feeling like nobody owned them spaces.
What is a defensible space?
A defensible space is where it is clear who has the right to be within the space. These often have low crime rates due to 4 key features (territoriality, surveillance, a safe image and a protected location).
What is terrioriality
Where residents feel a sense of ownership of their local area. This can be enforced by certain layouts (eg cul de sacs)
What is natural surveillance
Features of buildings that allow people to observe strangers (eg: street level windows, easily viewed entrance).
Cul de sacs allow people to view each others homes, where as high rise blocks often only have one concealed entrance
What is a safe image?
Building designs should have a safe image, whereby keeping everyone safe is promoted. A negative safe image could lead to stigmas and labelling
What is a safe location?
Neighbourhoods that are located within a wider crime-free area are less at risk of offending.
they are said to have “a moat of safety”
Who came up with the idea of CPTED
Jeffries - developed the theory from Newmans argument of defensible and indefensible spaces
What did Jeffries CPTED theory suggest
The environment can create or deny offenders opportunities to commit crimes, therefore altering the environment can reduce crime rates
What did Coleman’s study suggest about the environment
Coleman studied 4099 blocks of flats in two London boroughs. She found that the poor design of high rise flats increased crime and antisocial behaviour.
The main features she found to enhance crime were: anonymity, easy escape and no surveillance.
Therefore she recommended:
- no more blocks of flats should be built
- each flat should have a garden or private space
-remove overhead walkways
How have Coleman’s recommendations improved designs of buildings?
*in the Lisson Green estate in London, the removal of overhead walkways led to a 50% reduction in crime
*police officers have began to employ architectural officers to implement crime prevention strategies in new buildings
*the secured by design (SBD) is used by building companies to suggest a building meets crime prevention methods. The home office has found a 30% reduction of burglaries in SBD homes.
What is meant by Gated Lanes
Lockable gates are installed in alleyways to prevent offenders gaining access. This is aimed to stop burglaries but also helps to prevent antisocial behaviour and create safe play areas for children
What did Sidebottom find about how gated lanes work
Sidebottom reviewed 42 studies and found that gated lanes reduced burglary rates
-creates a physical barrier
-residents take responsibility for the gates
- open areas often suffer from the broken-window theory which invites crime, the gates prevent this
-reduces the rewards of crime
- average cost of a gate = £728 but found benefits are worth twice the cost (£2.19 for every £1 spent)
What are the limitations of gated lanes?
-don’t work against criminals who live within the gated area
-restrict access for emergency services if a crime were to occur
-if residents don’t know each other or do not get on they will not take shared responsibility for the gate
How does CPTED link to criminological theory?
Right realist theories!!
- situational crime prevention (SCP) = target hardening to make it harder to commit a crime
-Felson’s activity theory = emphasises the importance of a capable guardian that protecting crime targets
- Rational Choice Theory = sees offenders as acting rationally, if an offender feels they may be challenged then they will stay away from an area
What are the limitations of CPTED
-focus on outsiders who offend but not insiders who offend (eg domestic violence)
-cannot prevent all offences (eg cybercrime, white collar)
- not all defensible spaces are defended (eg cul de sacs, if all residents are not at home then there is no natural surveillance)
- sink estates = high crime rates because of the council placing problem families within them
- an areas reputation may lead more crime if police patrol the area more which leads to higher arrests
What does Foucault suggest about prison design
Focault suggests a penoptican prison design (all seeing)
All cells are visible to the guards from a central watchtower and although guards can see the prisoners, prisoners cannot see the guards and so do not know when they ar being watched.
Therefore they must constantly behave which leads to self surveillance
What does Focault suggest about surveillance theory today?
In modern day society self surveillance has risen due to the rise in CCTV footage. We know we’re being watched and so we modify our behaviour ourselves
What are behavioural tactics
Where agencies change peoples behaviour to get them to comply with social norms and laws
eg: ASBO’s and CBO’s
What is an ASBO
an antisocial behavioural order
introduced by Tony Blair in 1998 to deal with antisocial behaviour and public disorder offences.
They are civil orders that prevent reoffending of disorderly offences and contain conditions that if breeched will lead to a five year prison sentence
