Download Opportunity Theories and Crime Prevention: A Comprehensive Overview and more Quizzes Criminology in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Opportunity Theories DEFINITION 1 - No crime can be committed unless the opportunity is present - Focus on how opportunity factors into decision to commit crime TERM 2 Rational Choice Theory DEFINITION 2 - offenders are "rational" in their decisions- they CHOOSE crimes that offer immediate gratification, little effort to commit, and expose them to detection/ arrest TERM 3 What is a necessary condition for a crime to be committed? DEFINITION 3 - opportunity is needed. willingness to break the law is not enough- distribution and access to crime help describe why some areas have higher crime rates than others- helps explain why some individuals are more involved in crime than others- decreased opportunity = crime rates will REDUCE TERM 4 What is a practical way to reduce crime according to routine activities theory? DEFINITION 4 - focus on aspects of the environment that can be easily changedEx: alarm systems, security guards, limited cash on hand, etc. - assumes everyone is capable of committing crime TERM 5 What 3 things must be present for a predatory crime to be committed? DEFINITION 5 - motivated offender- suitable target- absence of capable guardian TERM 6 Offender search theory DEFINITION 6 - study routines of potential offenders and how they select their targetsEx: offenders commit crime in areas they are familiar with, etc. TERM 7 What policy implications help to stop crime? DEFINITION 7 - make crime look more difficult- defensible space- prevention though environmental design TERM 8 Situational crime prevention DEFINITION 8 - increase the effort needed to commit a crime- increase risk of committing a crime- reduce reward of committing a crime TERM 9 Natural Strategies DEFINITION 9 space is designed that people are forced to enter a door where surveillance is high TERM 10 Organized Strategies DEFINITION 10 security guards are hired to make the possibility of committing crime harder TERM 21 Conditional Adaption Theory DEFINITION 21 - suggest that antisocial behavior is an adaptation to an unstable/ hostile environment TERM 22 Alternative Adaption Theory DEFINITION 22 - some people inherit a greater tendency to partake in antisocial behavior and are driven by mating urgesEx: lower intelligence, aggressive, sensation seeking, etc. TERM 23 Evolutionary Expropriative Theory DEFINITION 23 - all humans have an equal potential of anti social behavior, driven by the need to obtain adequate resources to ensure reproductionEx: taking, stealing, etc. TERM 24 What are the 4 elements of social concern? DEFINITION 24 - care about the welfare of others- desire close ties to particular people- follow moral institutions that punish those who violate them- conform to social norms TERM 25 Brain Hemispheric Theory DEFINITION 25 - psychopaths rely less on the right hemisphere (emotion) and more on the left (analytic/ logical) TERM 26 Reward Dominance Theory DEFINITION 26 - reward centers are more powerful than the inhibitory systems in criminals TERM 27 Suboptimal Arousal Theory DEFINITION 27 - normal levels of stimulation is not enough TERM 28 Seizuring Theory DEFINITION 28 - seizures are higher among offenders- leads to high impulsive behavior- VERY CONTROVERSIAL TERM 29 Mednick's Biosocial Theory DEFINITION 29 - proposed that some high risk offenders inherited a less sensitive autonomic nervous system which makes it more likely for these people to have antisocial behavior TERM 30 Hypoarousal Hypothesis DEFINITION 30 - measured by low pulse rates, low blood pressure, reduced skin conductivity- show much lower responses to environmental stimuli TERM 31 Fearlessness Theory DEFINITION 31 - low levels of arousal are markers for low levels of fear- less likely to avoid run ins with the law ( dont avoid situations that bring trouble with the law) TERM 32 Stimulation Theory DEFINITION 32 - low arousal represents a psychological state that makes individuals seek out trouble to obtain stimulation to avoid boredom
