Getting a Handle on Offenders: Exploring Possibilities for Control.

Routine activities theory suggests six points of intervention for any crime problem: targets/victims, guardians, places, managers, offenders, and handlers. A great deal of research has been dedicated to understanding what makes targets attractive and how guardians can protect targets. There is a growing body of research on what makes certain places suitable for crime and how managers can prevent crimes at places. There is less research within this theoretical tradition on the handler-offender relationship, the willingness of handlers to take control, and the effectiveness of such control in preventing crime. Theoretical examples of handling in the literature often describe prosocial adult handlers controlling the minor offenses of children and adolescents. This raises questions as to whether such handlers exist for more serious offenders, and if so, whether they can be engaged to prevent crime. Using an example of serious repeat violent offending, we argue that handlers are a viable preventive option that can be leveraged to prevent even the most serious of crimes. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]