Crime Triangle
Definition
A visual tool, also called the problem analysis triangle, showing the three routine activity elements as the sides of a triangle. An outer triangle adds controllers: handlers (who manage offenders), guardians (who protect targets), and place managers (who control settings). Used in problem-oriented policing to identify the missing controller.
- Also called
- Problem analysis triangle
- Inner triangle
- Offender, target, place
- Outer triangle
- Handlers, guardians, place managers
- Used in
- Problem-oriented policing
Common questions
What is the practical purpose of adding the outer triangle of controllers?+
The outer triangle identifies who is responsible for supervising each inner element, a handler for the offender, a guardian for the target, a place manager for the location, so analysts can diagnose which controller is missing or weak and target intervention there.
How is the crime triangle used differently from routine activity theory on its own?+
Routine activity theory explains that a crime requires a motivated offender, suitable target, and absent guardian to converge, while the crime triangle turns that explanation into a diagnostic tool by adding the controller roles that problem-oriented policing can act on directly.
Related terms
- Capable Guardian
- Any person or mechanism whose presence deters an offence. Guardians include neighbours, bystanders, CCTV, lighting, and patrols. Presence alone is sufficient: the...
- Rational Choice Theory
- A criminological theory, associated with Cornish and Clarke, that treats offending as purposive behaviour: offenders assess the rewards, costs, risks, and effort...
- Routine Activity Theory
- A criminological framework developed by Cohen and Felson (1979) that explains property crime as the product of three converging elements: a motivated...
- Situational Crime Prevention
- A prevention approach, developed by Clarke, that uses opportunity-reduction techniques to make specific crimes harder, riskier, less rewarding, or less excusable. It...
- Suitable Target
- In routine activity theory, a target whose value, inertia, visibility, and access (VIVA) make it attractive to an offender. Portable, valuable, and...