Crime Prevention
This domain tests whether you can think like a crime preventer rather than only a responder: reducing opportunity before an offence happens.
Core ideas
Crime prevention has three levels: primary, before it happens; secondary, aimed at at-risk places or people; tertiary, preventing repeat victimisation.
Routine activity theory (Cohen and Felson) says an offence needs a motivated offender, a suitable target and the absence of a capable guardian. Security's job is to supply the guardian and make targets unsuitable.
CPTED, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, works through:
- Natural surveillance: sightlines, lighting, windows overlooking car parks.
- Natural access control: clear entrances, paths, landscaping that channels movement.
- Territorial reinforcement: clear boundaries, signage, ownership cues.
- Maintenance: a well-kept site signals that someone is watching.
Practical measures include target hardening with locks, grilles and safes, lighting and CCTV as deterrent and detector, removing concealment near cash points and parking, cash and stock procedures, and liaison with police and Nyumba Kumi community policing.
Problem solving uses SARA: Scanning, Analysis, Response, Assessment.
Worked example
A retail car park has weekly thefts from vehicles. Scanning identifies the pattern. Analysis shows thefts cluster at night in unlit bays beside a hedge. The response is to trim the hedge, add lighting, adjust patrol timing, add signage and a number-plate camera. Assessment compares the theft rate monthly. This is situational prevention through natural surveillance, not simply adding more guards.
Traps
Treating prevention as pure reaction; applying one measure and assuming it works; answering 'more guards' without a designed solution; ignoring data and repeating the same patrol pattern.