Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Situational Prevention

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
What Works in Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation

Part of the book series: Springer Series on Evidence-Based Crime Policy ((SSEBCP))

Abstract

Situational crime prevention (SCP) measures are those that aim to prevent crime by reducing opportunities for offending and by increasing the effort and risk to offenders (Clarke, Building a safer society: Strategic approaches to crime prevention, 1995). There have been a number of systematic reviews, using the explicitly stated, transparent method adopted and documented by the Campbell Collaboration that focus on assessing the effectiveness of SCP interventions. In this chapter, we review the evidence arising from these reviews to assess whether general conclusions can be made about the effectiveness of situational approaches to the reduction and prevention of crime. In reviewing the evidence, we examine the individual effect sizes from all contributing studies as a single group. Our reason for taking this approach is that it allows us to examine the heterogeneity in evaluation effect sizes when assessing the broad effectiveness of SCP interventions and to see if there are any systematic patterns. We do this by classifying studies on a number of factors other than the type of situational measure employed. Analysis of the available reviews (there were seven that met our criteria) indicates that the mainstream situational measures such as closed-circuit television camera, improved lighting, and public area surveillance are effective at reducing crime, as are some of the situational strategies such as repeat victimization schemes and neighborhood watch. Our heterogeneity analysis revealed that other contextual factors, such as the time and place of implementation or the type of crime targeted, appear to be as important in explaining variation in effectiveness as the type of SCP employed.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. 1.

    http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/. Accessed 15 June 2012.

  2. 2.

    http://www.popcenter.org/. Accessed 15 June 2012.

  3. 3.

    The authors would like to thank David B. Wilson for a very helpful discussion on this issue.

  4. 4.

    To be entirely accurate, it is in fact the cumulative number of effect size observations within the studies.

References

  • Bennett, T., Holloway, K., & Farrington, D. (2008). The effectiveness of neighborhood watch. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 4(18). http://campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/50/.

  • Bowers, K. J., Johnson, S. D., & Hirschfield, A. F. G. (2004). The measurement of crime prevention intensity and its impact on levels of crime. British Journal of Criminology, 44(3), 1‑22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brantingham, P. L., & Brantingham, P. J. (1993). Environment, routine and situation: Toward a pattern theory of crime. Advances in Criminological Theory, 5, 259‑294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, D. T., & Stanley, J. C. (1963). Experimental and quasi-experimental designs for research. Dallas: Houghton Mifflin.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V. (1983). Situational crime prevention: Its theoretical basis and practical scope. Crime and Justice, 4, 225‑256.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V. (1995). Situational crime prevention. In M. Tonry & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), Building a safer society: Strategic approaches to crime prevention. (Crime and justice: A review of research (Vol. 19). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V., & Cornish, D. B. (1985). Modeling offenders’ decisions: A framework for research and policy. Crime and Justice, 6, 147‑185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V., & Newman, G. R. (2006). Outsmarting the terrorists. Westport: Praeger. Security International.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clarke, R. V., & Weisburd, D. (1994). Diffusion of crime control benefits: Observations on the reverse of displacement. In R. V. Clarke (Ed.), Crime prevention studies (Vol. 2). Monsey: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornish, D. B., & Clarke. R. V. (2003). Opportunities, precipitators and criminal decisions: A reply to Wortley’s critique of situational crime prevention. In M. J. Smith & D. B. Cornish (Eds.), Theory for practice in situational crime prevention. Crime prevention studies (Vol. 16). Monsey: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, L. E., & Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review, 44(4), 588‑608.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ditter, S. M., Elder, R. W., Shults, R. A., Sleet, D. A., Compton, R., & Nichols, J. L. (2005). Effectiveness of designated driver programs for reducing alcohol-impaired driving: A systematic review. American Journal of Preventative Medicine, 28, 280‑287.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (1995). A general model of the geography of illicit retail marketplaces. In D. Weisburd & J. E. Eck (Eds.), Crime and place. (Crime Prevention Studies (Vol. 4.) Monsey: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eck, J. E. (2006). Preventing crime at places. In L. W. Sherman, D. Farrington, B. Welsh, & D. MacKenzie (Eds.) Evidence-based crime prevention (revised ed.). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P., & Welsh, B. C. (2004). Measuring the effects of improved street lighting on crime. British Journal of Criminology, 44(3), 448‑467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrington, D. P., Gill, M., Waples, S. M., & Argomaniz, J. (2007). The effects of closed-circuit television (CCTV) on crime: Meta-analysis of an English national quasi-experimental multi-site evaluation. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 3(1), 21‑38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H. (1979). Improving policing: A problem-oriented approach. Crime and Delinquency, 24, 236‑258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grove, L. E., Farrell, G., Farrington, D. P., & Johnson, S. D. (2012). Preventing repeat victimization: A systematic review. Report prepared for the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention. Stockholm: The Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention.

    Google Scholar 

  • Guerette, R. T. (2009). The pull, push and expansion of situational crime prevention evaluation: An appraisal of thirty-seven years of research. In N. Tilley & J. Knutsson (Eds.), Evaluating crime reduction initiatives. Crime prevention studies (Vol. 24, pp. 29‑58). Monsey: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hesseling, R. (1994). Displacement: A review of the empirical literature. In R. V. Clarke (Ed.), Crime prevention studies (Vol. 3). Monsey: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jeffery, C. R. (1971). Crime prevention through environmental design. Beverly Hills: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S. D., & Bowers, K. J. (2003). Opportunity is in the eye of the beholder: The role of publicity in crime prevention. Criminology and Public Policy, 2, 497‑524.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S. D., Bowers, K. J., & Guerette, R. (2011). Crime displacement and diffusion of benefit: A review of situational crime prevention measures. In B. Welsh & D. P. Farrington (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of crime prevention. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, S. D., Bowers, K. J., & Hirschfield. A. (1997). New insights into the spatial and temporal distribution of repeat victimization. British Journal of Criminology, 37, 224‑241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Knutsson, J., & Tilley, N. (Eds.). (2009). Evaluating crime reduction initiatives Crime prevention studies (Vol. 24). Monsey: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lum, C., Kennedy, L. W., & Sherley, A. (2006) The effectiveness of counter-terrorism strategies. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 2(2). http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/11/.

  • Merton, R. K. (1938). Social structure and anomie. American Sociological Review, 3(5), 672‑682.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newman, O. (1972). Defensible space: Crime prevention through urban design. New York: Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pease, K. (1998). Repeat victimisation: Taking stock. Crime prevention and detection series paper 90. London: Home Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pawson, R. (2006). Evidence-based policy: A realist perspective. London: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Pawson, R., & Tilley. N. (1997). Realistic evaluation. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rengert, G. F., & Wasilchick, J. (2000). Suburban burglary: A tale of two suburbs. Springfield: Charles C. Thomas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shaw, C. R., & McKay, H. D. (1942). Juvenile delinquency in urban areas. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, M. J., Clarke, R. V., & Pease, K. (2002). Anticipatory benefit in crime prevention. In N. Tilley (Ed.), Crime prevention studies (Vol. 13). Monsey: Criminal Justice Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tilley, N. (1993). After Kirkholt: Theory, method and results of replication evaluations. London: Home Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weisburd, D., Lum, C., & Petrosino, A. (2001). Does research design affect study outcomes in criminal justice? Annals of American Political and Social Science, 578, 50‑70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Welsh, B. C., & Farrington, D. P. (2008a). Effects of improved street lighting on crime. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 4(13). http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/45/.

  • Welsh, B. C., & Farrington, D. P. (2008b). Effects of closed circuit television surveillance on crime. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 4(17). http://www.campbellcollaboration.org/lib/project/49/.

  • Welsh B.C., Mudge M.E., Farrington D.P. (2010). Reconceptualizing public area surveillance and crime prevention: Security guards, place managers and defensible space. Security Journal, 23, 299‑319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Welsh, B., Peel, M., Farrington, D., Elffers, H., & Braga, A. (2011). Research design influence on study outcomes in crime and justice: A partial replication with public area surveillance. Journal of Experimental Criminology, 7(2), 183‑198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yochelson, S., & Samenow, S. E. (1976). The criminal personality. Vol. 1: A profile for change. New York: Jason Aronson.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Security and Crime Science, University College London, 35 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H 9EZ, UK

    Kate J. Bowers & Shane D. Johnson

Authors
  1. Kate J. Bowers
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Shane D. Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kate J. Bowers .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA

    David Weisburd

  2. Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom

    David P. Farrington

  3. Department of Criminology, Law & Society, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA

    Charlotte Gill

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Bowers, K.J., Johnson, S.D. (2016). Situational Prevention. In: Weisburd, D., Farrington, D., Gill, C. (eds) What Works in Crime Prevention and Rehabilitation. Springer Series on Evidence-Based Crime Policy. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3477-5_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3477-5_4

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4939-3475-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4939-3477-5

  • eBook Packages: Law and CriminologyLaw and Criminology (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation