Introduction
Crime prevention typically brings to people’s minds various programs that are divorced from the formal criminal justice system. Most of them are heavily reliant on the various efforts of citizenry. This book highly focuses on the physical design as a component of crime prevention. Then again it focuses on crime prevention in terms of environmental design, which is one, of the most discussed crime prevention approach for the past four decades. The idea behind this approach is making crime difficulty for criminals to commit. It also assists residents in feeling extra secure in their surroundings as well as residences. This is only accomplished by altering the physical environment that is increased lighting, stronger doors to their residences, utilization of surveillance cameras or equipment, and other changes meant to bring about stronger social cohesion, minimized rate of crime, and fear of the crime itself.
Then again, this book also focuses on a direct analysis on the neighborhood crime prevention. Its key focus is the various mechanisms used in creating neighborhood cohesion and concern through crime prevention. There is also a focus on the competing ideas of diffusion and displacement as a result of crime prevention programming. Minimized levels of crime in various crime prevention areas serve as an indicator that crime is completely eliminated.
However, even with the elimination of rime, there is still some crime that is displaced along some other dimensions. In displacement, the overall rate of crime is left the same while its modification in the timing, as well as the crime or placement, still happens. One of the significant elements while discussing crime is the impacts brought about by the various programs of the fear of crime. This brings about a chapter in the book which purely discusses the mass media prevention of crime techniques. This chapter provides a valid opportunity in which there is an attempt to deal directly with the fear of crime, together with the actual crime that is committed (Smith, 2013).
Opportunity
According to the book physical design features in crime prevention by Kaplan 1978, people or criminals always look for opportunities to commit a crime at any one given point in their lives. Therefore, the book tries to look at some of the factors that could be used so as to ensure all the opportunities left to commit a crime a completely sealed and crime prevented. Then again, the society is also advised
On the various ways that they could ensure they leave no chance to the offenders to commit any crime. According to Kaplan, opportunity of crime comes as a result of societal behavior or neglect. For instance, lack of adequate lighting in a community, poor house locks that are easy to break, fear of criminals amongst the society members. Therefore, the society should do everything possible to make certain that no room is left for criminals to find the opportunity to commit their crime.
Risk
This is another area that is highlighted in the book. The risk of committing this crime is something that most offenders do in order to genuinely commit a crime. The book highlights how some of these risks are taken and advises on how and when such risks are likely to occur. Therefore, the book prepares people on when crimes are likely to occur so that they would be prepared. Then again, the book discusses the courage most of these criminals have while taking such risks. Therefore, the book provides adequate ways in which such crimes could be prevented and also provides maximum solutions to the problem so that the rate of crime could be completely abolished within the societies people live.
Effort
Alternatively, in order to entirely prevent crime through various physical design features, Kaplan says that it not only takers the effort of the police officers or any other law enforcement bodies, but the effort of all people. This includes men, women, children, the young and old, all those who make up a society. They should be willing to oblige with the regulation enforcement officers by giving them any links that could guide to the seize of any law offenders or criminals. In fact, this is a significant opportunity that people have in ensuring that they too participate in prevention of crime at the moment and also in the future. Crime is something that affects the entire society; therefore, there should not be any laxity in trying to prevent the rate of crime that has been rampant in the societies.
Reward
It is significant noting that prevention of crime comes with a reward. According to the book, Kaplan talks about the need to reward or compensate those who work tirelessly to ensure that the rate of crime is prevented. This is not only amongst police officers, but also members of the society who assist in ensuring success in the same. These rewards could come in many ways, for instance, it could be in terms of ensuring full time security for those who participate in crime prevention. It could also come in monetary terms where those who assist in prevention of crime are rewarded with a certain amount of money (Taylor, 2006).
References
Effective Physical Security Effective Physical Security Instructor's Manual.. (2004). london: Elsevier Science & Technology.
Smith, C. L., & Brooks, D. J. (2013). Security science the theory and practice of security. Amsterdam: Elsevier, BH.
Taylor, R. B., & Harrell, A. (2006). Physical environment and crime. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, National Institute of Justice.
