Theory-Policy-Research 
When discussing crime policies, it is important to understand the difference between “crime prevention” 
and “crime control.” Policies and programs designed to reduce crime are crime prevention 
techniques. Specifically, crime prevention “entails any action designed to reduce the actual level of crime 
and/or the perceived fear of crime.” 
1 On the other hand, crime control alludes to the maintenance of 
the crime level.  Policies, such as the three strikes law or Measure 11, seek to prevent future crime by 
incapacitating offenders through incarceration. Other policies like sex offender registration acknowledge 
that sex offenders exist and registering them will control the level of deviation, sometimes preventing-or 
perceiving to prevent future offenses. 
Public policies and laws are created at different levels of government, with micro-level policies enacted on 
the local level and macro level applied at the federal or state level. For example, at the local level, some towns 
and cities might create specific ordinances tailored to their unique needs, such as banning cigarette smoking 
in the downtown area. At the federal level, policies are created that apply to the federal criminal justice 
system and can apply to states as well. However, federal laws can differ from state laws, such as marijuana 
legalization. Individual organizations can also make policies that address their individual agency needs, such 
as requirements for local police officers. Therefore, depending on who creates the policies, they can be far-
reaching or extremely localized. 
2 
Fake News Exercise 
1. Lab, S. (2016). Crime Prevention: Approaches, Practices, and Evaluations. (9th ed.). New York, NY: Routledge. 
2. Lab, S P., Williams, M.R. Holcomb, J.E., Burek, M.W., King, W.R., & Buerger, M.E. (2013). Criminal Justice: The Essentials (3rd ed.). 
New York, NY. Oxford University Press. 
ALISON S. BURKE, DAVID CARTER, BRIAN FEDOREK, TIFFANY MOREY, LORE RUTZ-BURRI, AND SHANELL
SANCHEZ
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