Chapter 9: Crime Intervention and Prevention

Learning Objectives

• Distinguish between intervention and prevention
• Identify community-based strategies
• Explain focused deterrence and crisis intervention
• Evaluate prevention programs

Key Terms

• Crime Prevention
• Crime Intervention
• Community Violence Intervention (CVI)
• Focused Deterrence
• Crisis Intervention
• Gang Prevention
• Risk Factors
• Protective Factors
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Early Intervention
• Public Health Approach

Summary

This chapter focuses on proactive approaches to reducing crime. It examines interventions targeting at-risk populations and prevention strategies addressing root causes. Emphasis is placed on community involvement and evidence-based practices.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Photo courtesy of Centralia Missouri

Crime Prevention is the anticipation, recognition, and appraisal of a crime risk, and the initiation of action to remove or reduce it. It is an active approach utilizing public awareness and preventive measures to reduce crime. Crime Prevention reflects a philosophy of self-defense where the police and the community take action before crimes are committed. Crime Preventions programs will reduce crime, stimulate public awareness concerning crime prevention and enhance our communities.

Crime intervention refers to strategic efforts and programs designed to interrupt ongoing criminal behavior and prevent future criminal activity by working directly with individuals who are currently engaged in or at high risk of committing crimes. Unlike crime prevention (which stops crime before it starts) or criminal justice response (which reacts after crimes occur), crime intervention operates in the space between—targeting active or recent offenders to change their behavior and redirect their life trajectories.

Crime prevention and intervention works. It is cheaper, safer, and healthier for communities to prevent crime than to have to treat its victims, deal with its perpetrators, and lose civic health and productivity. But the responsibility of crime prevention does not fall on one person – it is everyone’s business. Law enforcement agencies, however, often are the focal point in community crime prevention. This can be beneficial to prevention efforts because these law enforcement officers:

• Know what crime is happening, where it is happening, and by whom
• Have the expertise to stop crime before it happens
• Can bring community members, police departments, and government officials together

Criminal justice intervention and prevention programs use evidence-based strategies like Community Violence Intervention (CVI), focused deterrence, and crisis response to stop crime by addressing root causes, interrupting violence cycles, and offering support, involving law enforcement, community groups, and social services for long-term solutions, often through federal funding from the Office of Justice Programs (OJP). Key approaches include hospital-based interventions, street outreach, youth programs (like mentoring), and community revitalization, all aiming to build trust and provide pathways to better opportunities.

Types of Programs

Community Violence Intervention (CVI): Focuses on partnerships between law enforcement, community members, and service providers to interrupt cycles of violence, often using street outreach and credible messengers.

Focused Deterrence: Identifies chronic violent offenders, warns them of swift consequences if violence continues, while simultaneously offering support services.

Crisis Intervention: Programs like the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) fund courts, Extreme Risk Protection Orders (ERPOs), and training for collaborative responses with mental health and substance abuse agencies.

Gang Reduction & Prevention (e.g., CalGRIP): Funds collaborative efforts in cities for prevention, intervention, reentry, job training, and family support.

Juvenile & Youth Prevention: Includes school-based programs (behavior management, conflict resolution), after-school activities, and mentoring to build social competence and prevent delinquency.

Environmental Design: Uses urban planning to make public spaces safer and foster community gathering, reducing crime.

As you will read in the in the sections below, most of the programs that have been identified and discuss will have several components of crime prevention programs under one program. Crime prevention programs aim to address several criminogenic factors, in most instances, they collaborate with multiple agencies to help address crime prevention.