CRM 1300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Crime Prevention
13 Sep 2015
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Document Summary
This focuses on factors influencing a person"s decision to commit a criminal offence. The 3 elements of deterrence are: (if any element is missing/lacking, the effectiveness of deterrence will be compromised. ) Certainty is the most important element of deterrence. The measures designed to increase certainty include: hot spots policing: this concentrates police resources in high-crime areas. Individualized deterrence: this is individually informing offenders that their actions are being monitored and that future law violations will be dealt with immediately. This is the belief that harsher punishments (longer prison sentences) will reduce crime: effectiveness of imprisonment, effectiveness of mandatory minimum sentences, offenders belief about the risk of being caught, alcohol, drug, and/or mental health issues, knowledge of penalties. This assumes that people will break the law if they believe it will bring them a reward. It argues that individuals will make decisions according to what they believe is in their self interest.
