Criminal Justice and Critical Thinking, Essay Example

According to Cohen and Felson, there are three necessary factors for the successful completion of a crime. These factors include motivated offenders, suitable targets, and the absence of capable guardians. Motivated offenders are defined as those who have a reason to commit a crime, whether it be for some kind of financial gain, a plot for revenge, or to make a statement. Without a clearly defined motive to commit a crime, potential criminals are not likely to act on their thoughts. Suitable targets are defined as those that will help the criminal achieve his or her goal. A suitable target could be defined as a variety of factors depending upon the specific crime that is to be committed. For example, a suitable target for criminals with financial interest would be a bank. In other example, when criminals wish to make political statements, they will target a group of weaker individuals who do not expect that they will be attacked; this is similar to what occurred during the Boston Marathon. Lastly, the absence of capable guardians is defined as the lack of a protective force for the target. This could lead to the robbery of banks without armed security and attacks on individuals who are travelling alone and are in secluded areas.

These three factors played an important role in a situation in which my friend’s cellphone was stolen from her while she was walking home from school. She was approached by a group of three tall African American men as she was leaving campus late at night. She had never seen the men before and believed that they had intentionally entered campus to commit some sort of robbery. Because my friend was scared that she would be hurt, when the men threatened her to empty out her pockets, she immediately gave them her phone and said that she had nothing else on her. After retrieving the cellphone, the three men got away. My friend was shaken up, but immediately contacted campus security. Although no one had spotted any of the three criminals again, this serves as an important reminder that criminals can be deterred if one has a deep understanding of Cohen and Felson’sthree necessary.

My friend was unlucky because she was approached by three motivated offenders. They expected some kind of monetary and material gain from the crime, and were likely to remain on campus until they found a suitable target. This crime was definitely premeditated, because no one had seen the men on campus before the crime, and they made a point to not return. It is possible that they commuted from a different area to ensure that no one would recognize them and they would be able to get away with the robbery. Unfortunately, my friend was also a suitable target. She was travelling alone late at night while listening to music on her iPhone and not paying much attention to her surroundings. When the three men approached her, she was caught off guard and willing to give them her phone in exchange for her personal safety. Her role as a suitable target is also tied into the absence of capable guardians. If she were with friends, no matter how short or tall, it is unlikely that the men would have approached her and waited for someone else to come by.

It is therefore important to analyze Cohen and Felson’s in a manner that would be useful for potential targets. To deter criminals, it’s important to not fall into the category of suitable target and to have suitable guardians available. As a consequence, it is important to be aware of your surroundings at all times. If my friend had noticed the suspicious looking men ahead of time, it is likely that she would have chosen a different direction to travel. In addition, because her iPhone was exposed, the men knew that she had valuable items on her. Furthermore, if she was walking with a group of people, the three men would have felt outnumbered and not bothered to approach her.