The Politics of Crime Prevention by Brigitte C.M. Koch

Author:Brigitte C.M. Koch [Koch, Brigitte C.M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Criminology
ISBN: 9780429797354
Google: 7zeDDwAAQBAJ
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2019-01-04T03:17:17+00:00

The Operational Policing Review

In 1989, the three staff associations worked together and produced the Operational Policing Review (Joint Consultative Committee, 1990). Although not a policy document, it was an effort to advance “the policy making process of the police service” (Joint Consultative Committee, 1990: 1). Two sections of this report are relevant to this research. One section on efficiency and effectiveness examined ‘the community and crime prevention’. Another section consisted of a police survey in which questions connected to crime prevention were asked. These two sections provide some insight on how crime prevention was perceived by the police service at the time.

In the section on efficiency and effectiveness, the report states that crime prevention,

is not just about reducing the level of reported crime as published by the police on a regular basis in their returns of criminal statistics ... it has to reflect the level of fear about crime that might exist in a particular community (Joint Consultative Committee 1990: section 2:48).

The report defined crime prevention using the terms primary, secondary and tertiary. However, the author would argue that their definitions are contrary to those utilised by criminologists (who often use Brantingham and Faust’s 1976 definition) and those from the medical profession (see Chapter 1). Here is what the Joint Consultative Committee (1990: section 2, page 48) said:

Primary crime prevention can best be described as the workings of the mainstream criminal justice system. The patrolling police constable is a crime prevention source. The court which incarcerates an offender for a period of time is fulfilling a crime prevention function - bluntly by incapacitation. The probation officer who counsels and advises an offender to divert him away from further offending is preventing crime....

Secondary crime prevention can be described as steps taken to reduce the risk of crime occurring. Sometimes known as situational crime prevention this includes steps such as improvements to physical security (locks, bolts and alarm systems) as well as more comprehensive measures such as close circuit television, surveillance systems and property marking. Initiatives taken in response to this development are directed at specific forms of crime which involve the management, design or manipulation of the immediate environment in which crimes occur.

Tertiary or social crime prevention is the subject at its widest. Rather than look at the offence in isolation it concerns itself with the social conditions in which the offence takes place.

What the Consultative Committee defined as primary prevention could be defined as tertiary prevention since one is dealing with the offender. However, the deterrent aspect of the criminal justice system could arguably be considered as primary prevention since general deterrence is aimed at the entire population. What the Consultative Committee considered as secondary prevention, could be considered as primary prevention since the initiatives are developed to discourage the public at large. What the Consultative Committee defined as tertiary prevention, could be defined as primary prevention since once again it affects the entire population and not solely offenders.

This section of the Police Consultative Committee illustrates that even the classifications of ‘crime prevention’ are misunderstood.

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