Theory on Crime Comparison

What are the prevailing theories of crime control as they apply to policing?

The institution of policing is an individual-level mechanism of crime control because an officer’s job is not to figure out where crime comes from but, rather, to identify and apprehend lawbreakers. However, it exist many theories of crimes (social control theory, deterrent theory, and others), but the prevailing theories of crime control as they apply to policing can be the broken windows theory, the routine activity theory, and the rational choice theory. Initially elaborated by criminologists, the broken windows theory is associated to the idea that crime can be reduced more effectively by addressing visible signs of community disorder that influence and encourage criminal behavior (James and Wilson, 1982). Meanwhile, little disorder in a neighborhood, if left unhandled, will result in increased violent crime, and, therefore eliminating this minor disorder will have a deterrent effect on major criminal action. The routine activity theory in the other hand provides a simple and powerful insight into the cause of crime, this theory is an idea that in the absence of effective controls, offenders will go for more attractive targets. Further, with this theory, controllers or police officers presence can prevent crime or the assault, damage of attractive target (things, person). The rational choice assumes that crime is purposive behavior designed to meet the offender’s commonplace needs for such things as money, status, sex and excitement, and that meeting these needs involves decisions and choices.

How do these theories impact the actual implication of policing by criminal justice professionals?

The role of the law enforcement in maintaining order is to reinforce the informal control mechanisms of the community itself. However, with these theories, criminal justice professional can be submitted to extraordinary resources that lead to an effective strategy of crime control (Bratton, 1999). The broken windows theory for instance implies a radical change in crime control policies and police practices. This theory implicates a police function, which is associated to the apprehension of criminal. The routine activity theory remained at the forefront of crime analysis and prevention efforts of criminal justice professionals. The theory addressed crime analysis from a different perspective than most theories preceding, it explore the convergence of the crucial components of crime at specific locations in space and time which impact the actual implication of policing. Speaking of rational choice theory, the main creation of this was to further aide and focus on situational crime prevention, which comprises the opportunity of reducing measures directed at highly specific forms of crime. Moreover, this situational crime prevention comprises the criminal justice management involvement, the design or manipulation of the immediate environment in the permanent and systematic ways by criminal justice professionals, and making crime more difficult and risky. Thus, situational crime prevention associated to the rational choice theory impact the actual implication of policing by criminal justice professionals.