Ronald V. Clarke

Ronald V. Clarke is a prominent British-American criminologist who significantly shaped modern crime prevention theory and practice. As a leading proponent of the situational crime prevention (SCP) approach, Clarke argued that crime could be effectively reduced by altering the immediate environment to increase the perceived effort and risk while reducing the rewards of criminal activity.

Clarke co-developed the rational choice perspective on crime with Derek Cornish, asserting that offenders act with purpose and calculation based on situational factors. He also led the development of the “Twenty-Five Techniques of Situational Crime Prevention,” a widely used framework in criminology and policing.

As former Director of the Home Office Research Unit in the UK and later Professor at Rutgers University, Clarke helped bridge academic research and policy implementation. His work has had a profound impact on applied criminology, influencing urban design, surveillance practices, and crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED).

Clarke’s legacy is closely associated with a pragmatic, evidence-based approach to crime control that prioritizes prevention over punishment.

Interview

This video interview was conducted as part of the Oral History of Criminology Project. In this conversation, Ronald V. Clarke reflects on the development of situational crime prevention, the origins of the Rational Choice perspective, and the practical implications of criminological research for policy and policing.