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Routine activity theory

👥 Sociology By CampusDown Wiki Editorial Team Last updated
Routine activity theory holds that crime occurs when a motivated offender and a suitable target converge without a capable guardian. Cohen and Felson proposed it in 1979.
Contents
  1. 1. Overview
  2. 2. The three elements
  3. 3. Explaining rising crime
  4. 4. Crime triangle
  5. 5. Criticism
  6. 6. Frequently asked questions
  7. 7. References

Overview

Routine activity theory states that crime occurs when a motivated offender, a suitable target and the absence of a capable guardian converge in time and space. Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson published it in the *American Sociological Review* (1979). It asks *when and where* crime happens, not *why* people offend.

📌 At a glance
Authors
Cohen & Felson
Published
1979, ASR 44(4)
Elements
Offender, target, no guardian
Related
CPTED, Broken windows

The three elements

ElementExample
Motivated offenderBurglar needing cash
Suitable target (VIVA)Visible, valuable, portable phone
No capable guardianEmpty home, unlit alley

Explaining rising crime

US crime rose in the 1960s–70s despite prosperity: more empty homes by day and lightweight electronics.

Crime can fall without changing offenders. Remove one element and the crime doesn’t happen—the basis of situational prevention.

Crime triangle

John Eck added handlers, guardians and place managers. The theory is also applied to cybercrime.

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Criticism

It takes motivation as given and risks victim-blaming.

Frequently asked questions

Same as lifestyle theory?
Related; both are "opportunity theories."
Must guardians be police?
No—neighbors, staff and CCTV count.
Applications?
Crime mapping, situational prevention, CPTED, patrol planning.

References

  1. Cohen, L. E., & Felson, M. (1979). Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review, 44(4), 588–608.
  2. Felson, M., & Eckert, M. (2019). Crime and everyday life (6th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.
  3. Clarke, R. V. (Ed.). (1997). Situational crime prevention: Successful case studies (2nd ed.). Guilderland, NY: Harrow and Heston.

Reports and materials that use this theory (Korean)

There are no materials dedicated to this theory yet, but you can search related reports in the CampusDown library (Korean).

Find more reports · Search '일상활동이론' on CampusDown →
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This article was last updated on October 23, 2026. It is based on widely recognized original works and textbooks; when citing it in a paper, please check the original sources listed in the references.