The Web of Police Influence on Offender Decisions:

Making Better Use of All Legitimate Tools

John E. Eck, Ph.D.School of Criminal JusticeUniversity of Cincinnati

Presentation prepared for the SIPR-GMU Research Conference

Police Scotland Headquarters, TulliallanOctober 20, 2014

An History of an idea….

It all started at university committee meeting

Start with 2 Propositions

Actor

Choice

Situation

Outcomes

From: Bernasco, Ellfers, and van Gelder

• Offenders make choices like everyone else• Choices depend on the interactions of the actor and the situation

How do we influence the choices to get better outcomes?

Offender

Choice

Situation

Outcomes

A Standard View of Police Influence on Offenders

Police

Criminal Justice

Agencies

Rehab Entities

Direct IndirectTo offender

Other

Offender

Choice

Situation

Outcomes

Another, More Recent Perspective

Crac

kdow

ns &

Hot

Spo

ts P

atro

ls

Gene

ral &

Spe

cific D

eter

renc

e

Call Response & Investigations

Police

Break Down the Situation

Situation

manager

hand

ler guardian

place

target

Focusing on the Situation to Influence Offenders

Handlers

Managers

Places

Police

Targets

Guardians

Situation

Offender

Choice Outcomes

Direct IndirectTo offender

To situation

Other

Focusing on Those Who Control Situations

Handlers

Managers

Places

Police

Targets

Guardians

SituationSuper

Controllers

Offender

Choice Outcomes

Direct IndirectTo offender

To situation

Other

Create Strategies that Take Full Advantage of the Web

Handlers

Managers

Police

Guardians

Situation

Super Controllers

Criminal Justice

Agencies

Rehab Entities

Places

Targets

Offender

Choice Outcomes

Direct IndirectTo offender

To situation

Other

Basic Points

• Police have many possible ways to influence offenders• Most of the ways involve changing situations• Most of the ways are indirect• Most of the ways involve the support of non-police• These approaches may be.

Less expensive More effective Less coercive

The Answer to the Police Captain

• It is all about the offender• But there are many ways to influence offenders• If we need to systematically address situations

that make offending easy, lucrative, and low risk.