INTRODUCTION TO CRIMINOLOGY
Instructor: Barry Cartwright
Felix Cheu
301137655
Situational Crime Prevention
Felson’s ten fallacies about crime tell us that common crimes are quickly and easily committed and everyone could be criminals when the temptation of a criminal act has outreached the incentives of obeying the law (Sacco & Kennedy, 2008, p.15-16). When a person sees an illegal opportunity to acquire something valuable, e.g. unattended goods, with very little possibility of getting caught, he/she would probably take it for his/her own desire. In this process, a crime is formed with a likely offender, a suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian. These three elements above are the basic structure of many crimes in our everyday life. If we add a capable guardian in the structure or make the target less attractive towards the …show more content…
Law enforcements, as formal surveillance, could practice situational crime prevention and deter potential offenders more efficiently. The introduction of random breath testing and photo radar enforced by law and executed by law enforcements contributed to the sharp decrease of related crime (Clarke, 2010, p.171). Political leaders could use situational crime prevention to develop a safer city, thus gaining more trust from the general public. As mentioned in Brantinghams’ article, opportunities for crime can be reduced through the design of a better physical environment. For the general public, situational crime prevention is most suitable to create a safer environment and protect them from any loss. When the general public employs the methods of situational crime prevention around their household or business, offenders will be deterred and potential crimes remain as potential