The possibility of crime is contingent on various factors. Police patrols, offender anonymity, whether the environment is highly crowded, easy access to escape routes, status of target victims, among other elements are considered critical indicators of the likelihood of crime. From a theoretical perspective, Marcus Felson introduced the routine activity theory (RAT) while Ron Clarke is credited for the rational choice theory (RCT) theory. RAT is premised on the frequency of a particular act, while RCT illuminates the intentionality of crime. In a high street supermarket, a security manager might be faced with varied factors that could support crime. This paper looks at the application of RAT and RCT in the said environment with a focus on factors that might promote the likelihood of crime. The objective is to demonstrate which of the two theories help provide an extensive assessment of crime-related factors that the security manager should consider.
The high streets are characterized with swift movement of people and vehicles. In cases where there is deficient urban planning, congestion is experienced thereby limiting free movement, hence traffic. Rofe et al. (2015) explained that, more often than not, “urban social and economic life is an outcome of the often casual and unplanned meeting between locals and strangers who are passing by” (p. 223). With such an observation, it follows that the high streets are highly susceptible to criminal activities as the swift movement of people allows for anonymity of offenders. Carmona (2015) defined the high street noting that “it functions as the commercial hub; a place where near neighbors ‘bump’ into each other on their way to the post office, parents accompany children to the library and the elderly swap local gossip at the bus stop” (p. 3). Such a description demonstrates that for a high street supermarket, there is likely to be conditions that can support as well as impede the possibility of crime. Nonetheless, the characteristics of the high street are crucial indicators of gaps that criminals might exploit to execute their plans.
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In order to apply Felson’s RAT and Clarke’s RCT, an understanding of the environmental and social features of the high street, as cited above, is recommended. Felson’s RAT postulates that crime occurs following satisfaction of three key elements which converge in both time and space during daily activities. These elements are a) the potential offender who has the capacity to commit a crime; b) the presence of a target or victim; and lastly, c) the absence of individuals likely to safeguard or protect the victim (Miro, 2014). Based on the said explanation, it follows that RAT considers the interplay of offender and victim availability, but without the presence of guardians that could act as a protection, explicitly or implicitly, against crime. In the context of the high street supermarket, the security manager should consider critical factors that can lead to crime. According to Carmona (2015), the high street is a commercial hub which emphasizes of the possibility of gaps that criminal could exploit to commit crime. For instance, there could be a teenager buying supplies in the supermarket. In the event an offender takes sight of the teenager, they might position themselves outside the supermarket where there is minimal movement of people. Within such a situation, the unsuspecting teen might be caught unaware and have the supplies alongside other valuable personal items stolen. The issue with this particular theory is that it might be difficult to ensure the presence of guardians who are likely to deter criminal activity. The security manager might only be able to prevent some people from being attacked but not all.
In the context of RCT, the focus is on the intention behind a criminal activity. Purpura (2019) explained that Clarke was motivated by deterrence theory which implies that individuals have the capacity to make rational decisions to avoid sanctions. The key elements of RCT are that a person studies the outcomes of crime against potential benefits prior to committing a crime, and that criminal behavior is selected when the rewards outweigh the costs (Purpura, 2019). Having an understanding of the features of the high street supermarket, the offender is likely to be deterred by the shame that might befall them once caught of committing crime. Further, the security manager could have guards patrolling the supermarket and areas surrounding the premises projecting the impression that the area is under strict surveillance. Within such circumstances, the likely offender would be deterred from committing a crime if he or he notices that there is strong presence of security personnel both in and outside the supermarket. In this case, the offender is forced to think about the potential benefits and risks linked to the crime that they want to commit.
A critical assessment of RAT and RCT shows that the security manager should manipulate the latter approach as it has the capacity to ensure a high level of security compared to the former. Without a strict approach in preventing crime such as having security personnel be on patrol, the security manager might be unable to detect crime. RAT does not provide the security manager with potential approaches that they can use to minimize crime. However, RCT enables the security manager to assess potential gaps that can be manipulated with regard to ensuring the safety of shoppers and of the business. Thus, of the two theories, RCT appears most effective.
References
Carmona, M. (2015). London's local high streets: The problems, potential and complexities of mixed street corridors. Progress in Planning , 100 , 1-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.progress.2014.03.001
Miró, F. (2014). Routine activity theory. The Encyclopedia of Theoretical Criminology , 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118517390.wbetc198
Purpura, P. P. (2019). Foundations of security and loss prevention. Security and Loss Prevention , 61-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-0-12-811795-8.00003-5
Rofè, Y., Yerushalmi, G., Margalith, M., & Windsor, A. (2015). High streets and the pedestrian realm. Suburban Urbanities , 223-236. https://doi.org/10.14324/111.9781910634134.001
