Crime Prevention

Module code: CR2514

In this module we will address one of the classic debates within both criminology and security management: ‘social’ vs. ‘situational’ approaches to crime prevention. The former locates crime within the complex framework of the social environments that supposedly produce it, and typically recommends multi-levelled, multi-agency responses that draw together local councils, police, probation services, health and education providers (amongst others).

Situational crime prevention, on the other hand, is very much focused on the specifics relevant to the asset under protection. By concentrating on the environment at hand and attempting to protect it by ‘hardening’ measures, or by environmental changes to ‘design out’ crime, it avoids engagement with social issues beyond its control. This tends to be the approach favoured by private security practitioners because its limits define the objectives of a security policy in ways that are specific, practicable, limited and accountable. But is this the right approach?

Another approach added to this debate is the Community Crime Prevention model whichaims to improve neighbourhoods and communities by reducing criminal behaviour, reducing the fear of crime and restoring a sense of community. This approach adopts a mixture of both social and situational methods.

Topics covered

• Introduction to crime prevention
• Underlying theories and limitations of situational crime prevention
• Underlying theories and limitations of social crime prevention
• Crime prevention case studies