Situational Crime Prevention: The SARA Model

When it comes to the definition of Situational Crime prevention, Martha J. Smith, referenced in the Oxford Bibliographies, presents us with a broad definition. She states that Situational Crime prevention “seeks to reduce the number of crime events by focusing on limiting the opportunities for crime to occur” (Smith, 2011). The Oxford Bibliographies also states that Situational Crime Prevention researchers assume offenders are rational when coming up with methods to stop crime (2011). For a more narrow definition, we turn to the textbook. In our textbook, it is stated that “situational crime prevention can be characterized as comprising measures (1) directed at highly specific forms of crime (2) that involve the management, design, or manipulation …show more content…
The council decides to use Cornish and Clarke’s Twenty-Five Techniques of Situational Prevention to build their response plan. First, the town decides to increase the risks of the crime in three ways-one by telling citizens to “extend guardianship”- meaning if they are going anywhere, especially at night, they should go in a group (Lab, p.223, 2014). The hope is that, by being in groups, they are less likely to be targeted by the scammers. Another way they will increase the risks of the crime is by assisting in natural surveillance (Lab, p.223, 2014)- if people see any suspected illegal gambling, they are to inform the police. The hope for this prevention technique is that the police can get to an area before the offenders hightail it out of there. The final technique from the increase risks of crime section that the council has decided to implement is strengthening formal surveillance by adding video surveillance such as cameras wherever possible in the town (Lab, p.224, 2014). This would help assist the officers in at least identifying the offenders instead of relying on the descriptions given by citizens. Next, the council decides to reduce the rewards of this crime by disrupting the scammers markets- if they do not have a street vendor’s license, then they cannot be on the sidewalk clogging up the streets (Lab, p.224, 2014). This would hopefully clear the sidewalks so that people can walk on them instead of walking in the street and risking getting hit by a car. The final prevention technique that the council decides to implement is removing excuses by alerting the conscience (Lab, p.224, 2014) - they are going to put up signs to help warn the town and tell them to be wary of anyone playing a card game in the street- if they see this happening, turn the other way and alert the proper authorities. The hope is