Preventing Crime & Creating Safer Communities
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Creating Safer Communities in Europe: a crime prevention sourcebook

SOURCEBOOK INTRODUCTION

1.1 What this Sourcebook is about

A number of valuable studies have been produced in recent years which compare European or International crime prevention approaches and projects ( Hope & Shaw 1988, van Dijk & Mayhew 1990, 1992, 1996 Katona 1994, Graham & Bennett 1995, A.L.G. 1995). This book does not intend to duplicate such works (although it draws on much useful information provided by them) but aims to provide a single source for researchers, policy makers and practitioners who want to access best practice in European crime prevention and community safety but don't know where to start.

This book is not a theoretical or academic treatise, but a practical overview of what's going on in Europe and a guide to who's doing what, to promote community safety. If you want to get to know more about the theories and principles that guide the best in current crime prevention practice you can read some of the books listed in the bibliography at the end (for example: NACRO 1991, Shaftoe & Pitts 1994, Osborn & Shaftoe 1995, Vourc'h & Marcus 1993).

1.2 Why have a European Sourcebook?

Crime and insecurity are problems common (in varying degrees) to all European countries - as you will see in the next few chapters. Although each country has a different criminal justice system to prosecute criminals, the origins of criminality and the opportunities for crime are broadly similar throughout Europe. It follows that if we want to prevent crime rather than wait until the crime has occurred and then try to catch and punish the offender, we can all share best practice, because we are not isolated by the unique legal systems of each country. Of course each legal system has its own definition of crime, but for our purposes there is a widespread consensus on what constitutes an offence (see "definitions" below). This sharing of best practice in crime prevention is becoming all the more of a priority, as we become gradually disillusioned with the notion that the traditional pillars of the criminal justice system (police, courts and prisons) can act as comprehensive deterrents to offending or containers and rehabilitators of offenders (see Shaftoe & Pitts).

Given the universality of human nature and the broad similarity of European social and political systems, it is as likely that we will be inspired by a crime prevention project in Rotterdam or Barcelona as by one in the neighbouring suburb to where we are living or working. The simultaneous fascination and frustration of crime prevention practice is that no-one has come up with (or is likely to come up with) a single all-embracing crime prevention technique that can be applied anywhere and everywhere. Although the process of researching, planning and implementing crime prevention measures may be broadly universal, the actual solution must be fine-tuned to local circumstances. But the more we can find out about what has worked elsewhere in particular circumstances, the more comprehensive will be our palette of possibilities for solving our own unique crime or insecurity problem. Somebody, somewhere has probably already invented something pretty close to what we need - why go through all the effort and agony of re-inventing something that is already out there? That is what this sourcebook is all about - sharing invention, information and learning.

1.3 Defining Terms of Reference

As we said above, each country will have its own list of crimes - after all, crime is not an entity but a socially defined construct. But scratch beneath that legal veneer and you will find a widespread consensus about the constituents of the majority of acts or omissions defined as criminal. Things may get blurred around the edges, but at the core nearly everyone regards violence against other people (assault, rape, murder), removal of people's legitimate belongings without their permission (theft, burglary, robbery) and malicious damage to property (vandalism, arson) as being offensive acts.

This account will mostly address the types of crime identified above, and specifically those which impinge on ordinary neighbourhoods and communities (defined in French by the word "delinquance") and which indeed make up the majority of criminal incidents in Europe. We therefore specifically exclude organised or "mega" crimes such as company fraud, high-level corruption, international drug-dealing, terrorism, industrial pollution, ethnic cleansing etc. By doing this we do not wish to devalue the seriousness of such offences; it is just that they are outside the scope of this particular book and its approach, and they probably each deserve a book of their own!

To encompass the approach to crime ("delinquance") prevention espoused in this book there is a growing adoption of the term "community safety". This term reflects a broader approach, not purely aimed at repression of crime, but one which addresses the roots of criminality and fear, to create a more positive environment in which all individuals and communities can flourish.