Annotated Bibliography

nName

nInstitution

nCourse

nDate

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nIntroduction

nIn this paper, the researcher selected the topic “The Approaches of Preventing Crime”. The topic is very important because it helps to analyze relevant materials on the issue. In addition, the topic provides an opportunity to describe some of the effective techniques and strategies of preventing crime. In this regard, it offers scientific evidence of the efficiency of actions meant to decrease the level of crime in the community.

nBraga, A. A. (2005). Hot spots policing and crime prevention: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of experimental criminology,1(3), 317-342.

nThis article analyzes the strategies of preventing crime. The author also addresses the approaches of policing, crime hot spots. The article noted that criminologists should pay close attention to areas with high cases of crime as opposed to general urban settings. Most importantly, the law enforcement officers can succeed in preventing crime by focusing on places that are vulnerable to illegal activities. Nonetheless, the article suggested that focusing on hot spots does not necessarily eliminate criminal activities in these areas. The effectiveness of hotspot policing can be improved by using a wide range of approaches. In addition, the author noted that predictive hot spot policing is useful in preventing criminal activities as the police concentrates on predicting vulnerable places. By doing so, the police will succeed in countering continuing wrongdoing in the hotspot areas.

nAndrews, D. A., Bonta, J., & Wormith, J. S. (2011). The Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model Does Adding the Good Lives Model Contribute to Effective Crime Prevention?. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 38(7), 735-755.

nThe authors in this article evaluate the importance of the RNR model in countering crime. The article suggested that the police could use a wide range of models to prevent crimes. More significantly, it describes the benefits of risk-need responsivity model as compared to other models in controlling criminal activities. The model helps the law enforcement officers to understand the criminal history of the delinquent or the offender. In addition, the article suggested that the effectiveness of the RNR model could be improved by determining the offenders reasons for the actions. The researchers also analyzed the importance of other criminologist models such as Good Lives models. The article concluded that the police should incorporate different models that are useful in preventing crimes. The results from these models can be used to improve the strategies and techniques of dealing with crimes.

nMcCord, J. (2003). Cures that harm: Unanticipated outcomes of crime prevention programs. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 587(1), 16-30.

nThe article discusses the importance of focusing on different situations or circumstances that can contribute to crime. The scholar noted that it is important to address the likelihood of any activity that can contribute to crime in the community in spite of its positive intention. In this regard, the article suggested that some of the crimes are unexpected. Therefore, some criminal activities are the product of other activities, which had good intentions. The researcher argues that there no assurance that implementation of different interventions would be safe to the society. In this respect, the article recommends that safety can be promoted by using science-based evaluations. It provides evidence that this helps to prevent crime in the society. Through these techniques, the society would minimize any cases of harm arising from the incorporation of preventive interventions.

nCozens, P. M., Saville, G., & Hillier, D. (2005). Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED): a review and modern bibliography. Property management, 23(5), 328-356.

nThe article analyses the process of preventing crime via environmental design (CPTED). The researchers argue that this type of design is very beneficial in decreasing the level of crime in a particular area. In addition, it helps to reduce the public fear that crime activities would reoccur. It is very useful in preventing crime in the hot spots because the police design the place-based techniques. Consequently, they are able to deal with the problem. According to the article, the CPTED is a useful tool for changing the behavior of the criminal. The approaches used in environmental design depend on the capacity to deter the decisions of the offender that lead to crime. The scholars suggest that the execution of environmental design helps to change the physical plan of the society where people live. The article highlighted that the offenders make a decision to participate in crime based on the perceived risk. They assess the signals of reward after crime and the possibility of being captured in the process of crime. Therefore, the deterrence is when the possibility of being captured is higher. Therefore, environmental design concentrates on increasing the perceived risk of being exposed or detected. Specifically, it recommends formation of environment that can minimize crime as well as lessen public fear of crime. This can be done through target hardening, maintenance, access control and surveillance.

nGuerette, R. T., & Bowers, K. J. (2009). Assessing the extent of crime displacement and diffusion of benefits: a review of situational crime prevention evaluations. Criminology, 47(4), 1331-1368.

nThe article evaluates the degree of crime diffusion and displacement. The scholars analyze the application of situational crime prevention strategies. The article proposes that situational prevention of crime is beneficial in reducing the rate of offending. The article suggested that this helps to minimize the opportunities of crime, which occur from daily activities. It also notes that crime can be minimized by changing the situations that promote offenses instead of dealing with individual dispositions of the criminal. The scholars argued that targets of crime should be hardened in order to increase the struggle before a criminal succeeds in the theft. This can be accomplished through barriers such as anti-theft screens, locks and electronic access controls. However, critics of this technique argue that it forces the offenders to shift to other types of crimes, places or period. Consequently, they would be no crime reduction as the criminals shift to other categories of offenses.

nConclusion

nThe sources selected in this paper are the most relevant to analyze the approaches used in crime prevention. The articles selected offer various strategies of reducing crime. Additionally, they are peer-reviewed journals hence they offer science-based reasoning regarding the topic of discussion. Finally, the resources used are sufficient is describing the process, actions and models of reducing criminal activities in the society. Therefore, they are appropriate in this paper because they used evidence-based systems and approaches to handle criminal activities in the country.

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nReferences

nAndrews, D. A., Bonta, J., & Wormith, J. S. (2011). The Risk-Need-Responsivity (RNR) Model Does Adding the Good Lives Model Contribute to Effective Crime Prevention?. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 38(7), 735-755.

nBraga, A. A. (2005). Hot spots policing and crime prevention: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Journal of experimental criminology,1(3), 317-342.

nCozens, P. M., Saville, G., & Hillier, D. (2005). Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED): a review and modern bibliography. Property management, 23(5), 328-356.

nGuerette, R. T., & Bowers, K. J. (2009). Assessing the extent of crime displacement and diffusion of benefits: a review of situational crime prevention evaluations. Criminology, 47(4), 1331-1368.

nMcCord, J. (2003). Cures that harm: Unanticipated outcomes of crime prevention programs. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 587(1), 16-30.