Facility site selection and analysis through environmental criminology

Abstract

Crime is increasingly recognized as a problem by persons responsible for facility site selection and premises security. Environmental criminology can contribute to crime prevention through analyses of spatial patterns in crime, perceptions and awareness spaces of potential criminals, criminal mobility patterns, and the processes of target selection and decision to commit a criminal act. Rational choice theory is utilized to illustrate the decisionmaking process employed by many criminals. Although physical target-hardening measures are relevant to environmental criminology, the social interaction dimension among criminals, victims, bystanders, and certain aspects of the environment are central. Levels of security necessary for a given location may be established through consideration of the probability of attack at a given location, the vulnerability of this location to such an attack, and the critically or importance of any resultant loss to the continuing viability of the organization.