Section 7.3: Felson’s Chemistry of Crime – Learning Resources

Section 7.3 Overview

Section 7.3, “Felson’s Chemistry of Crime,” explores a novel criminological perspective that emphasizes the situational and environmental conditions conducive to crime, moving away from focusing solely on the offender’s characteristics. By introducing the Crime Triangle—comprising motivated offenders, suitable targets, and the absence of capable guardianship—Felson articulates a theory where crime emerges at the confluence of these factors. This section outlines how modifying environmental elements and bolstering guardianship can substantially lower crime opportunities. Felson’s model, equating crime occurrence to a chemical reaction triggered by specific conditions, advocates for a shift towards actionable environmental and situational crime prevention strategies, stressing the critical need to grasp the intricate relationship between offenders, their environment, and societal guardianship to formulate effective crime deterrence measures.

Section Level Student Learning Outcomes

• SLO 1: Interpret Felson’s Crime Triangle and its impact on understanding criminal activities.
• SLO 2: Analyze the roles of motivated offenders, suitable targets, and capable guardianship in crime occurrence.
• SLO 3: Evaluate environmental strategies for enhancing guardianship and deterring criminal behavior.
• SLO 4: Apply the principles of the Chemistry of Crime to real-world crime prevention scenarios.
• SLO 5: Critically assess the limitations of Felson’s approach and explore avenues for future research in crime prevention.

Modification History

File Created:  02/15/2024

Last Modified:  02/19/2024

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