Primary person-based crime prevention: an Australian case study
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-07-2016-0033 |
| Published date | 14 November 2016 |
| Date | 14 November 2016 |
| Pages | 301-305 |
| Author | Philip Birch |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice,Sociology,Sociology of crime & law,Law enforcement/correctional,Public policy & environmental management,Policing,Criminal justice |
Brief review
Primary person-based crime prevention:
an Australian case study
Philip Birch
Philip Birch is a Lecturer
in Policing, Criminal and
Community Justice at the
School of Social Sciences and
Psychology, University of
Western Sydney, Sydney,
Australia.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper i s to consider primary preve ntion from the perspectiv e of person-
based crime prevention. This crime prevention measure is illustrated by an Australian case study.
The report also recognises the integral role the community plays in the delivery of primary person-based
crime prevention.
Design/methodology/approach –This short paper adopts a case study approach.
Findings –The paper illustrates the purpose and achievements of primary person-based crime
prevention, includin g the success it has in reducing c rime and improving feelin gs of safety in the
community. The importa nt role of community member s and their contribution to th is crime prevention
method is offered.
Practical implications –The practical implications this paper offers are to ensure community members are
involved in the delivery of primary person-based crime prevention, to explicitly measure the contribution
community members make to primary person-based crime prevention initiatives, to explicitly measure the
contribution primary person-based crime prevention makes to the reduction of crime, and to build on the
known success of primary person-based crime prevention through the implementation of more initiatives
within this area of crime prevention.
Originality/value –Primary person-based crime prevention can be overlooked in favour of primary place-
based crime prevention. This short paper offers an insight into an overlooked aspect of crime prevention.
Keywords Crime prevention, Community involvement, Community safety, Crime reduction,
Person-based prevention, Primary prevention
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Crime prevention was defined by the National Crime Prevention Institute as “the
anticipation, re cognition and appra isal of a crime risk and init iation of action to rem ove or
reduce it”(Fennelly, 2012). The various approaches to crime prevention can be categorised as
either primary or secondary (Gill, 2013). Primary prevention, typically addresses crime and
disorder prior to the event, focussing on place-based prevention, also known as situational
crime prevention (Hughes, 1998; Gill, 2013), or person-based prevention, also known as
social crime prevention (Hughes, 1998; Gill, 2013). Secondary crime prevention addresses
a crime and disorder event after it has ta ken place, focussi ng on the supervision and
rehabilitation o f known offenders t hrough community- based provisions ( Gill, 2013). This b rief
report examines pr imary prevention fr om the perspective of person-based cri me prevention,
illustrating this approach with an Australian c ase study. The report also recognis es the integral
role the community p lays in the delivery o f primary person-b ased crime prevent ion and their
contribution to its success.
Received 20 July 2016
Revised 20 July 2016
Accepted 20 July 2016
DOI 10.1108/JFP-07-2016-0033 VOL. 18 NO. 4 2016, pp. 301-305, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794
j
JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
j
PAG E 301
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