The late 1970’s saw routine activity theory emerge as a crucial theoretical approach in criminology. This theory was first suggested by Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson in their analysis of the United States’ crime rate changes from 1947 to 1974. They concluded that crime is opportunistic and not planned or executed (Felson & Cohen 1979). This theory is widely known and has been used extensively in criminology. Routine activity theory, however, is a different criminology theory. It examines the causes of criminal events and focuses on its environmental processes. This allows for academic attention to be diverted from the why/ motivation behind crimes.
Routine activity is defined as the pattern of social activities in society. It can also refer to spatial and temporal patterns within family, work, and leisure activities. Routine activity theory claims that organized routine activities create crime opportunities. These routines can make crime easy/ low-risk or more difficult/ high-risk. Crime rates will vary depending on the opportunities available. Routine Activity Theory links a macro-level scenarioal model which uses spatial patterns and time of routine activities within society to a microlevel situational analysis with the intent of explaining why a crime occurs. A situational model states that a crime occurs when three elements are combined in time and space.
Motivated offender willing to take the offence.
The target can be either a human victim or a property that is being stolen.
Incapability to provide a guardian capable of stopping the crime
Cohen and Felson argued it would suffice to stop a crime from happening without any of the three elements.
The basic idea behind routine activity theory states that crime is not affected by social and macroeconomic changes such as poverty, unemployment, and inequality. One example is the boom and expansion of the western economies post-World War II. However, crime was on the rise in post-war years (Cohen, 1989). Cohen and Felson argued crime rates have increased after World War II due to more people working outside their homes. For example, women were required to have full-time jobs. This increases the chance that a motivated criminal will converge in time and space with a target that is not protected by a guardian. This is especially true when it comes to residential burglary. People who perform routine activities without their property being secured by someone capable of guarding them, have a higher chance of criminal activity.
Routine activity theory makes a significant contribution to the notion that there are fewer opportunities for crime in society than others, but they are not all equal. Instead, there is a limit to how many targets can be viewed as appealing by motivated offenders. Cohen and Felson (1979), argued four main factors influence a target’s ability to commit a criminal act. This acronym is VIVA (Value. Offenders only want targets that can be perceived as having value, either symbolic or material. Targets should also have the ability to access the criminal justice system, which is why smaller electronic items are more frequently stolen than larger ones.
This theory of routine activity can be used to help understand residential burglary. Routine activity is when someone leaves their home to do their routine activity. If they don’t have a guardian who can protect them, the crime of residential burglary becomes easy/low risk. To make it even more appealing, the house could have IPads, laptops, IPads or other valuable items through its windows. It may also have a pick-and-break lock. This will make the house an appealing and attractive target for motivated criminals.
Routine activity theories are a theory that describes crime events. It is different from the majority of criminological theories. Routine theory is a way to help with research on crime trends in time and spatial distribution.
Its widespread use has resulted in a deeper understanding of crimes and their causes.
