Hi Seal Beach,
Although we didn’t receive a question this week, I did get a very nice email from a resident.
Tell all your officers I said thank you for their service, because I do not know what this world would be like today without them.
Chris
Thank you for your kind words, Chris. We very much appreciate the support. I want to use this week’s column to discuss something called the Routine Activity Theory. This academic theory seeks to explain the circumstances in which crimes occur. Essentially, three key elements need to occur at the same time and in the same place in order for a crime to be committed:
• A likely offender.
• A suitable target.
• The absence of a capable guardian.
So how does this impact Seal Beach?
Well, we know that there are plenty of likely offenders. While this theory does not focus on the characteristics or social/societal causes which drive people to commit crimes, it illustrates that there are people who are willing to commit crimes.
Even in Seal Beach, which both the community and PD pride ourselves on being a safe city, there are people who are more than willing to take advantage and victimize innocent people. The community can help support social programs that increase access to education and reduce recidivism rates, but unfortunately, there will likely always be people who will decide to commit crimes.
What about suitable targets? A large percent of crimes that occur in Seal Beach are crimes of opportunity. What does this mean? Sometimes we are lulled into a false sense of security here. Although Seal Beach is safe, and mostly quiet, our residents, visitors, and businesses can take steps to help “harden the target.” Little things that make your homes, businesses, and cars less attractive to criminals go a long way. Please lock your homes and cars. Remove your valuables from your cars or hide them. Install lights and cameras around your homes and businesses. Little things like this make your property much less “suitable” for criminals.
The last piece of this theory is the absence of a capable guardian. I can assure you that your Seal Beach police officers are very capable guardians, however, as I’ve previously written, we can’t be everywhere at once. We rely on the community to be our eyes and ears. I cannot say this enough. If you observe a violation, a suspicious person, or something just doesn’t feel right, please call us right away. If it is not an emergency, please call us on our non-emergency number (562) 594-7232. If it is a life-or-death emergency, dial/call 9-1-1. This could be the difference between a capable guardian driving through your neighborhood and a crime occurring.
Like a three-legged stool, if any one of these elements is missing, you have no crime. Please help us keep Seal Beach safe by remembering this theory. The SBPD and the community are truly partners in keeping Seal Beach safe. We cannot do it without you.
Source: Cohen, Lawrence E., and Marcus Felson. “Social Change and Crime Rate Trends: A Routine Activity Approach.” American Sociological Review 44, no. 4 (1979): 588-608. Accessed June 9, 2020.www.jstor.org/stable/2094589.
Keep your questions coming! Email askacop@sealbeachca.gov today and see if your question gets answered in our regular Q&A.
