ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the regulatory approach. Experts in crime prevention and policing have come to this approach following different paths. The chapter analyzes alternative perspectives on regulation for crime prevention and summarizes the portfolio of regulatory methods. And there are critics of regulation. Environmental criminologists have studied the causes of crimes, crime patterns, and processes of crimes. Ends based instruments explicitly tolerate a certain level of crime, and use past levels of crime to judge how the instrument will be applied. Focusing on compliance raises administrative costs without necessarily providing a public benefit. Policy makers undertaking a regulatory approach should be careful to avoid creating incentive structures that reduce crime in general, but make some neighborhoods substantially less safe. Paying close attention to the Iron Law of Troublesome Places when selecting regulatory targets might help because high crime locations tend to be concentrated. Regulated gatekeepers might exclude users of their facilities to reduce their exposure to regulatory penalties.
