CH 15: Deterrence, Routine Activity, and Rational Choice Theories

Question 1

What is Beccaria’s Classical theory based on?

Answer 1

rational choice

- people will break the law if they think doing so will advance their own self interests.

Question 2

What are the core principles of the use of punishment in classical theory?

Answer 2

• Punishments should be severe enough but proportionate to the crime to deter people from breaking the law
• should be swift
• should be certain

Question 3

What does research suggest is more important: severity of punishment or certainty?

Answer 3

certainty

- caller ID significantly reduced harassing phone calls

Question 4

Does imprisonment deter crime?

Answer 4

long prison sentences are difficult to justify on a deterrence-based crime prevention basis
- might actually increase the likelihood of future crime

Question 5

Do mandatory minimum sentences deter crime?

Answer 5

much debate about effectiveness

-e.,g california’s three strikes law

Question 6

What are mandatory minimum sentences?

Answer 6

makes it though when certain laws are violated, no matter the circumstance, a minimum sentence must be given.
- California’s 3 strikes law

Question 7

What is California’s three strikes law?

Answer 7

if you commit a third felony you must serve a mandatory 25 years in prison

• does not reduce crime rates
• e.g., guy stole slice of pizza, now has to serve 25 years.
• actually found increases in homicide rates

Question 8

Hot spots policing

Answer 8

most crimes occur in high-crime locations

- small number of addresses produce a high percentage of calls to the police

Question 9

individualized deterrence

Answer 9

individuals that are heavily involved in crime are warned their actions are being monitored and that future violations of the law will be dealt with immediately.
- extra police and/or probation are added to make certain the system keeps its promise

e. g., Operation Ceasefire
- reduced youth homicide by 63 percent over a period of 3 years.
- when dropped, crime went back to what it was before

Question 10

what has shown to be a strong deterrent?

a. severity
b. certainty

Answer 10

b. certainty

Question 11

rational choice theory

Answer 11

that crime is a deliberate choice made by offenders on their calculation of the risks and rewards of those choices

Question 12

nodes

Answer 12

important places to would-be-offenders

• places like home, work, and socialize
• frequently commit crime in places around these nodes

Question 13

paths

Answer 13

routes between nodes

- these routes are vulnerable to crime

Question 14

edges

Answer 14

boundaries or barriers between different types of land use
- e.g., a street that separates an industrial area from an adjoining residential neighbourhood

• crime rates are often high in these areas b/c neighbourhood social control may be weaker
• also because they may contain properties that attract or generate crime

Question 15

Routines activities theory

Answer 15

developed from research on patterns of crime, such as when and where it occurs, the immediate circumstances of crime, the relationship between the victims and offenders, and the reasons why some people are more likely than others to be victimized by crime.

Question 16

lifestyle/exposure theory

Answer 16

theory of crime victimization, how not everyone has the same lifestyles and some lifestyles place people in higher or lower risk of being victimized.

e.g., people who spend a lot of time in public places at night have a higher chance of being robbed than those who spend their evenings at home.

Question 17

routine activities approach

Answer 17

extension of the lifestyle/exposure theory:

• this approach assumes that crimes are the expected outcome of routine activities and change in social patterns

Question 18

What observations does routine activities approach make for a crime to occur?

Answer 18

1. A motivated offender
2. A suitable target
3. A lack of guardianship

Question 19

Why doesn’t the routine activities approach work in real life?

Answer 19

Because when implemented it can easily become sexist, racist, ageist, etc.
-It easily becomes victim blaming

e.g., girl gets groped at bar, don’ have the offender, can’t make the bar increase lighting or bouncers, instead, tall girl maybe she shouldn’t go there
(victim blaming, sexist)

Question 20

physical facilitators

Answer 20

objects such as guns, or scanning devices that enable restaurant employees to steal debit card numbers

Question 21

social facillitators

Answer 21

such as peers who teach how to commit the crime and provide social support during the criminal activity

Question 22

Chemical facilitators

Answer 22

drugs, alcohol; reduce inhibitions and lead to acts that might not have been committed

-can also make potential victims more vulnerable

Question 23

What theorist pushed for Classical/deterrence theory?

Answer 23

Beccaria

Question 24

What theorist pushed for Rational choice theory?

Answer 24

Clarke, Cornish

Question 25

What theorists pushed for environmental theory and what is it?

Answer 25

Paul and Pat Brantingham

-the activity patterns of offenders and environmental opportunities influence decisions to commit particular criminal acts

Question 26

What theorist pushed for lifestyle/exposure theory?

Answer 26

Hindelang

Question 27

What theorist pushed for routine activities theory?

Answer 27

Cohen and Felson

Question 28

situational crime prevention

Answer 28

based on the premise that most crime is opportunistically motivated, instead of the outcome of those driven to commit a crime no matter what.

-attempts to reduce these opportunities, rather than just relying on the police after the crime has occurred.

Question 29

What are 5 categories of situational crime prevention techniques?

Answer 29

1. increasing the effort required to commit the crime
2. increasing the risks
3. reducing the rewards
4. reducing provocations
5. removing excuses

Question 30

What are examples of each of the prevention techniques? (5)

Answer 30

1. by target hardening or by controlling access to targets or the tools required to commit a crime
2. increasing levels of formal or informal surveillance or guardianship
3. identifying property in order to facilitate recovery, by removing targets, or by denying the benefits of crime
4. controlling for peer pressure or by reducing frustration or conflict
5. by setting clear rules and limits

Question 31

What are ways to increase the effort in Ronald Clarke’s 25 ways of situational prevention?

Answer 31

1. Target harden
   - anti-robbery screens
   - tamper-proof packaging
2. Control access to facilities
   - entry phones
   - electronic card access
   - baggage screening
3. Screen exits
   - ticket needed to exit
   - electronic merchandise tag
4. Deflect offenders
   - Street closures
   - separate bathrooms for women
5. Control tools/weapons
   - disable stolen cell phones
   - “smart” guns

Question 32

What are ways to increase the risks? (Clarke’s techniques)

Answer 32

1. Extend guardianship
   - routine precautions (go-out ingroups at night)
   - Neighbourhood watch
2. Assist natural surveillance
   - improve street lighting
   - defensible space design
3. Reduce anonymity
   - taxi driver’s ID’S
   - How’s my driving decals
   - school uniforms
4. Utilize place managers
   - Two clerks for convenience stores
   - reward vigilance
5. Strengthen formal surveillance
   - Red light cameras
   - Burglar alarms
   - Security guards

Question 33

What are ways to reduce the rewards?

Answer 33

1. Conceal targets
   - off-street parking
   - gender-neutral phone directories
2. Remove targets
   - removable car radio
   - pre-paid cards for pay phones
3. Identify property
   - property marking
   - Cattle branding
   - vehicle licensing
4. Disrupt markets
   - monitor pawn shops
   - controls on classified ads
5. Deny benefits
   - Ink merchandise tags
   - speed bumps
   - graffiti cleaning

Question 34

What are ways to reduce provocation?

Answer 34

1. Reduce frustrations and stress
   - efficient queues and polite service
   - expanded seating
   - soothing music
2. Avoid disputes
   - reduce crowding in pubs
   - fixed cab-fares
3. Reduce emotional arousal
   - controls on violent porn
   - prohibit racial slurs
4. Neutralize peer pressure
   - “idiots drink and drive”
   - it’s ok to say no”
   - disperse troublemakers at school
5. Discourage imitation
   - rapid repair of vandalism
   - censor details of modus operandi

Question 35

What are ways to remove excuses?

Answer 35

1. Set rules
   - rental agreements
   - harassment codes
   - hotel registration
2. Post instructions
   - “No parking”
   - “Private property”
3. Alert conscience
   - roadside speed display boards
   - “shoplifting is stealing”
4. Assist compliances
   - easy library checkout
   - litter bins
   - public lavatories
5. Control drugs and alcohol
   - breathalyzers in pubs
   - server interventions
   - alcohol-free events

Question 36

crime prevention through social development

Answer 36

focuses on changing the social environmental to reduce the amount of motivated offenders

Question 37

What has routine activity theory proven to be effective in solving?

Answer 37

Winnipeg’s vehicle theft crisis.

1. effective guardianship: most serious auto theft offenders were contacted in person every day by probation workers, those who violated the conditions were immediately apprehended
2. Target suitability: mandatory program requiring electronic vehicle immobilizers for the 100,000 most at-risk vehicles
3. Motivated offenders: worked with young people and their families to reduce the appeal of auto theft