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Crime prevention through social and physical environmental change
The Behavior Analyst
|April 6, 2012
Summary
Behavior analysts can reduce crime by altering environments to "harden" targets and decrease victim vulnerability. This approach also involves community organization and challenging harmful portrayals to enhance social control and prevent offending.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Criminology
- Environmental Psychology
Background:
- Crime rates are influenced by environmental opportunities and victim vulnerabilities.
- Behavioral analysis offers potential solutions for crime prevention.
- Existing crime prevention strategies can be enhanced through environmental modifications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the role of behavior analysts in environmental crime prevention.
- To identify specific environmental modifications that can reduce crime.
- To discuss the implications of environmental crime prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of environmental crime prevention strategies.
- Analysis of how physical environments can be modified to deter crime.
- Examination of victim training and community organization techniques.
- Discussion of media's role in legitimizing victimization.
Main Results:
- Environmental modifications can "harden" crime targets, reducing opportunities for offending.
- Training victims to be less vulnerable decreases victimization rates.
- Challenging portrayals that legitimize victimization is crucial.
- Organizing communities strengthens social control mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Environmental crime prevention, guided by behavioral analysis, is a viable strategy.
- Individual differences and the scope of prevention require further consideration.
- Modifying environmental opportunities and victim vulnerabilities can significantly impact crime rates.
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