Criminal Justice

What is the difference between crime control and crime prevention? Do you believe that crime prevention is possible? Use your readings to clarify position. Which typology and crime-problem model would you recommend to prevent or control crime?

Students are assessed on the following:

1. The response should have an introduction that includes a definition of crime control and crime prevention

2. A body that answers the question: Do you believe that crime prevention is possible?

3. Students should use the readings to clarify their position and offer examples from the readings.

4. Based on the response to item 2, students should identify a typology and crime-problem model to support his/her position.

This should be about 3 paragraphs.

ANSWER

Criminal Justice

Introduction

Crime prevention is a summation of all state policies and private initiatives focused on reducing the damage caused by criminal acts as defined by the state. These do not include criminal law enforcement (Van Dijk & De Waard, 2009). It involves activities by private or public groups or individuals in trying to put an end to a crime before it occurs or before it continues. Crime control, on the other hand, is managing criminal activity that has already occurred to ensure that it does not get out of control (Ratcliffe, 2018). Unlike crime prevention, crime control involves maintaining the problem and keeping it at tolerable levels rather than preventing it.

Is crime prevention possible?

The possibility of crime prevention is determined by the type of crimes in the society. Regular types of crime such as burglary, vandalism, robbery, and assault are not very difficult to prevent as the available literature on crime prevention easily applies to them. However, crimes such as human trafficking, cybercrime, drug trafficking, corruption, terrorism and so on are difficult to prevent using the existing models (UNODC, 2019). The Public Health Model, Tonry and Farrington’s typology, SARA model and Ekblom’s 5Is model are some of the existing ways used by governments to prevent crime and solve crime problems.

The Public Health Model typology works well in crime prevention. It takes the approach of saving costs later by investing funds early (Brantingham & Faust, 1976). At the primary prevention level, the model works by preventing crimes targeted at the whole population, at the secondary level by preventing crimes targeted at population groups and at the tertiary level by preventing offenders from reoffending. It works through interventions such as school-based activities, reducing youth gang violence and police-initiated action. The SARA model is relevant too in crime problem-solving. It uses the approach of scanning and analyzing problems, and responding and assessing the problem-solving plan.

References

Brantingham, P. J., & Faust, F. L. (1976). A conceptual model of crime prevention. Crime &             Delinquency, 22(3), 284-296.

Ratcliffe, J. (2018). Reducing crime: A companion for police leaders. Routledge.

UNODC. (2019). Crime Prevention & Criminal Justice Module 2 Key Issues: 2- Key Crime         Prevention Typologies. Unodc.org. Retrieved 22 November 2020, from            https://www.unodc.org/e4j/en/crime-prevention-criminal-justice/module-2/key-issues/2–  key-crime-prevention-typologies.html.

Van Dijk, J. J., & De Waard, J. (2009). Forty years of crime prevention in the Dutch         polder. Crime prevention policies in comparative perspective, 130-152.