// Criminological approach
Environmental and ecological theories of crime
Space, the city and the design of the environment. The 10 theories of the environmental and ecological approach, illustrated with pop-culture villains and explained with rigor.
10 theories10 with a case file
70Social Disorganization TheoryCrime has a zip code. There are neighborhoods where crime stays decade after decade, even when everyone living there changes completely.Omar Little · The Wire71Broken Windows TheoryAn unrepaired broken window screams "no one's watching here." And after small disorder, big disorder isn't far behind.El Pingüino · Batman72Environmental CriminologyCrimes don't fall randomly from the sky: they follow the paths, schedules and corners of the predator's daily life.Jack el Destripador · From Hell73Defensible Space TheoryA dark, ownerless hallway is an invitation. A building's design can keep watch for you... or serve you up on a platter.El Coleccionista · The Collector74Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)Design to deter: light, tended gardens and watchful eyes. Architecture that shuts the door on crime before it even knocks.A. J. Raffles · Raffles75Hotspot AnalysisAround 5 % of a city’s streets concentrate half of its crime, and 3 % of its addresses generate half of the calls to the police. Some corners draw crime like a magnet.Ed Kemper · Mindhunter76Crime Pattern TheoryEvery predator has a mental map: he hunts near where he lives, works or plays. His routine draws his hunting ground.Gary Ridgway · The Riverman77Criminogenic Facilities TheoryCertain places draw crime like honey draws flies: a troublesome bar, a seedy motel, a forgotten gas station.Delbert Grady · The Shining78Social Contagion / Geography of Fear TheoryFear of crime spreads from neighbor to neighbor, empties the streets and, with fewer eyes on them, ends up feeding the very crime it feared. Sometimes it does more harm than crime itself.Espantapájaros · Batman107Lifestyle-Exposure TheoryVictims look like their attackers: young, out at night and away from home. It isn't bad luck or blame: it's the life each person happens to lead.Mick Taylor · Wolf Creek
Frequently asked questions
What are environmental and ecological theories of crime?
Space, the city and the design of the environment. They bring together 10 criminological theories, 10 of them with a full case file on KRIMINIS.
Which theories does the environmental and ecological approach include?
Social Disorganization Theory, Broken Windows Theory, Environmental Criminology, Defensible Space Theory, Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), Hotspot Analysis, Crime Pattern Theory, Criminogenic Facilities Theory, Social Contagion / Geography of Fear Theory, Lifestyle-Exposure Theory.