22. Crime prevention

This chapter examines crime prevention ideas and practices. It first explains what crime prevention is before discussing crime prevention strategies, the objectives of crime prevention, and the emergence and development of crime prevention. It then describes a framework for policy and practice based on ideas of ‘primary’, ‘secondary’, and ‘tertiary’ prevention. It also considers alternative perspectives on crime prevention; the arguments in favour of taking a preventive approach to criminal justice; the implications of crime prevention for different stakeholders, including potential victims, potential offenders, communities, politicians, and interest groups; the evidence base in support of preventive measures; models of practice in crime prevention; what prevention achieves; and the consequences of crime prevention, namely, crime escalation, adaptation, and displacement. The chapter concludes by highlighting the limitations of crime prevention.