There are several crime prevention strategies and programs that use specific approaches to recognize, anticipate, appraise and address crimes or factors that contribute to crime. Crime prevention could be targeted at different levels starting with the individual, family as well as the community (Briggs,
2013). At individual level, crime prevention aims at avoidance of crime and the factors constituting to crime. This means preventing an individual from ever committing a crime. The term crime prevention is used to refer to programs designed in an effort to prevent individuals from committing a subsequent crime. The crime prevention strategies focused on the community target changes in the infrastructure, culture or the physical nature to prevent or reduce crime. Community based crime prevention programs include:
Comprehensive programs which encourage involvement of local and state government, the private sector as well as the community to respond to violent crimes, drug abuse and improve the standards of living in the community by incorporating multiple approaches.
This is a crime prevention theory that was developed by George Kelling and James Wilson that seems to suggest that preventing minor crimes such as vandalism and public disorderliness is the gateway to preventing crimes that are considered major and life threatening (Neubauer, 2013). As such, if the police were to crack down on minor offenders involved in minor crimes, it would lead to less serious crimes on the streets. The proponents of this theory assert that if left unchecked, street corners will gradually degenerate in to crime infested areas where bullies would take over taking alcohol and drugs openly intimidating citizens and making excessive noises. The broken window is a metaphorical broken window in a building which they argue if left unattended will attract more vandalism in the building.