ABSTRACT
This chapter traces the theoretical roots of the concept of guardianship to the routine activity approach to crime, and shows how the concept has evolved in its definition and conceptualization over time. The chapter is the first of two dedicated to building an integrated theoretical framework to explain the concept of guardianship and how it functions in residential environments to control crime. It begins by explaining the introduction of the guardianship concept from the routine activities approach and clarifying the role and function of the guardian within the realm of crime prevention, and particularly within the residential context. The chapter then goes on to link the concept of residential guardianship with defensible space theory with the view to illustrating how defensible space theory can best be interpreted as a theory of residential guardianship. The chapter ends with a critical discussion of the theory, highlighting its main critiques, in order to lay the groundwork for constructing an integrated theoretical framework for explaining how residents guard against crime in residential places.
