The actuarial community:: a study investigating actuarial justice and its adoption into strategies of community crime control

Abstract

This thesis is concerned with the theoretical debates regarding actuarial justice. The study will undertake an examination of crime prevention methods in order to find empirical evidence of actuarialism within community crime control. Central to this is the contention that techniques of actuarial justice have increased controls over the economically disadvantaged. Moreover, the study will attempt to establish the affect of actuarial justice on the communities it targets. The study is divided into two parts. The first part of the thesis is theoretical, chapter one will consider the themes of actuarial justice for the purposes of setting out, in detail, the elements central to actuarial justice. The second chapter is concerned witii a discussion of eroding privacy rights, which 1 suggest have risen with a growth of actuarial justice. Part two of the thesis is empirically based and has been conducted primarily through interviews and observations. Three chapters will investigate: policing; strategies of community safety and Closed Circuit Television (CCTV). These practices will aim to specifically outline the technologies, techniques and practices of crime control that can be attributed to actuarial justice. I should like to acknowledge my gratitude to my supervisor. Professor Dick Hobbs, for his continued help and support. The empirical research for this thesis has required the co-operation of many professionals from police stations, CCTV monitoring units as well as a number of council departments. Thank you to all those who were willing to share their time with me. Finally, to my lovely family: mother, father, Ralph and Yvonne thank you for your never-ending patience and kindness.