15 Questions
What do environmental criminologists investigate when examining the physical characteristics of a crime site?
The physical features of the location and its layout
What is the primary concern of environmental criminologists when analyzing the movements of the offender and target?
The interaction between the offender, target, and crime site in time and space
What is the primary focus of Environmental Criminology?
Analyzing the characteristics of the crime site and its context
What is the relationship between the physical location, the offender, the target, and the law, according to Environmental Criminology?
The physical location, offender, target, and law interact to make the crime an illegal act
What is the ultimate goal of Environmental Criminology?
To explain crime patterns and understand how they occur
What is the fundamental assumption about criminals in Environmental Criminology?
Some individuals in our society are criminally motivated
Which of the following is a key concept in the Rational-Choice Perspective?
Utilitarianism
What is the primary purpose of mapping crimes in Environmental Criminology?
To relate crime patterns to the number of targets and offender population
What is the common theme among the choice structuring properties that influence an individual's decision to commit a crime?
They tend to fall into seven categories
Which of the following is NOT a factor that is considered when examining the physical and social characteristics of a crime site?
The offender's personal characteristics
Which of the following factors is NOT a element of the Routine-Activity Approach?
The presence of a motivated protector
According to the Lifestyle Theories of Victimization, what is the primary factor that influences an individual's chances of personal victimization?
The demographic characteristics shared with offenders
What is the term coined by Marvin Wolfgang to describe situations where victims initiate the confrontations that lead to their death?
Victim precipitation
What is the primary goal of situational crime prevention?
To protect places, people, and valuable goods from victimization
What is the term used to describe the re-victimization of an individual by people such as the police or family members?
Secondary victimization
Study Notes
Environmental Criminology
- Examines the location and context of a specific crime to understand and explain crime patterns
- Asks: Where and when did the crime occur? What are the physical and social characteristics of the crime site? What movements bring offender and target together at the crime site? How does physical "location in time and space" interact with the offender, target/victim, and law?
Assumptions and Perspectives
- Assumes criminals are motivated individuals in society
- Rational-Choice Perspective: developed by Clarke & Cornish, based on utilitarianism and economic choice theory
- Choice structuring properties to commit a crime fall into seven categories:
- Number of targets and accessibility
- Familiarity with the chosen method
- Monetary yield per crime
- Expertise needed
- Time required to commit the act
- Physical danger involved
- Risk of apprehension
Routine-Activity Approach
- Crime occurs when there is a likely offender, suitable target, and absence of a capable guardian
- Later revisions added the absence of a personal handler
- Focuses on routine activities to see how offenders come in contact with suitable victims and targets
Theories of Victimization: Lifestyle Theories
- Propositions:
- Probability of suffering personal victimization relates to time spent in public places, especially at night
- Probability of being in public places varies with lifestyle
- Social contacts and interactions occur disproportionately among individuals with similar lifestyles
- Chances of personal victimization depend on demographic characteristics shared with offenders
- Proportion of time spent among non-family members varies with lifestyle
- Probability of personal victimization increases with time spent among non-family members
- Variations in lifestyle associate with ability to isolate from persons with offender characteristics
- Variations in lifestyle associate with convenience, desirability, and visibility as a target
Victim-Offender Interaction
- Marvin Wolfgang coined the term "victim precipitation" for situations where victims initiate confrontations that lead to their death
- Estimated that one quarter to one half of intentional homicides are victim-precipitated
- Secondary victimization refers to re-victimization by people such as the police or family members
Preventing Crimes Against Places, People, and Valuable Goods
- Situational crime prevention seeks to protect places, people, and valuable goods from victimization
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) reduces crime by re-designing places and environments
Test your knowledge on how environmental criminology examines crime locations and contexts to understand crime patterns. Explore questions on crime occurrence, physical and social characteristics of crime sites, and interactions of offenders, victims, and the law.
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