ROBBERY, POLICE, AND RESEARCH (FROM ARMED ROBBERY IN AUSTRALIA - RESEARCH, INFORMATION AND PREVENTIVE CONSIDERATIONS, 1977 - SEE NCJ-53410)

• NCJ Number: 53415
• Author(s): B SWANTON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Australian Institute of Criminology
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: Australia

Annotation

PSYCHOSOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF ROBBERY AND THE ROLE OF THE POLICE AND RESEARCH IN ROBBERY PREVENTION ARE CONSIDERED.

Abstract

THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE SERIOUSNESS WITH WHICH SOCIETY VIEWS ROBBERY. ROBBERY EVOKES STRONGER REACTIONS THAN OTHER CRIMES BECAUSE IT INCLUDES TWO THREATENING ELEMENTS, EITHER OF WHICH INDUCES FEAR: THE USE OF FORCE AGAINST THE PERSON AND THE THEFT OF PROPERTY. SOME EVIDENCE SUGGESTS THAT CERTAIN FORMS OF ROBBERY, PARTICULARLY ARMED ROBBERY, ARE MORE SERIOUSLY REGARDED THAN ASSAULT AND ASSAULT AND THEFT CONSIDERED IN AGGREGATION. ANXIETY IN THE COMMUNITY ABOUT CRIME DOES NOT NECESSARILY CORRELATE HIGHLY WITH ACTUAL RATES OF CRIME COMMISSION. IT HAS BEEN OBSERVED BY RESEARCHERS THAT CRIMES MOST TROUBLESOME TO PEOPLE ARE THOSE HAVING THE LOWEST RATE OF COMMISSION, E.G., MURDER AND RAPE. WHILE THE RATE OF ROBBERY DOES NOT ALWAYS REFLECT ACTUAL LEVELS OF CONCERN IN THE COMMUNITY, IT IS PROBABLY THE MOST SOCIALLY SIGNIFICANT OF ALL CRIME INDICATORS. HUMAN COSTS FAR OUTWEIGH ECONOMIC COSTS OF ROBBERY. A CASE IS CLAIMED TO EXIST FOR THE POLICE AND RESEARCHERS IN APPROPRIATE AREAS TO IDENTIFY ROBBERY AS A TARGET CRIME, A CRIME THAT SHOULD BE THE FOCUS OF MORE RESOURCES AND PREVENTIVE EFFORTS. ANTICRIME OPERATIONS CAN BE CATEGORIZED INTO A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT CLASSIFICATIONS, BOTH FUNCTIONAL AND SPECIFIC. PROACTIVE POLICE MEASURES ARE AIMED AT PREVENTING AN EVENT FROM OCCURRING. THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF BUILDINGS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THE STORAGE, PROCESSING, AND DISBURSEMENT OF VALUABLES IS ONE AREA WHERE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CAN BE INITIATED BY ARCHITECTS, PLANNERS, AND ENGINEERS. INTERDICTIVE MEASURES OFTEN OVERLAP WITH BOTH PROACTIVE AND REACTIVE MEASURES. THE OPERATIONAL MODE BEST SUITED TO INTERDICTIVE MEASURES IS PATROL. THE REACTIVE ROLE OF THE POLICE IN RELATION TO CRIMINAL EVENTS LIES BASICALLY IN INVESTIGATION. APPLIED RESEARCH INTO ROBBERY, SPECIFICALLY CONCERNING SPECIAL-PURPOSE POLICE UNITS AND POLICE PATROL, IS REVIEWED. EARLY WARNING ROBBERY REDUCTION PROJECTS ARE DESCRIBED, AND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE POLICE AND RESEARCHERS IS DISCUSSED. REFERENCES ARE CITED. (DEP)