What is the effect of patrol presence on crime deterrence?

• A. It deters crime through visible presence and tactics
• B. It has no effect
• C. It increases crime
• D. It only affects traffic

Answer: (A)

Patrol presence deters crime by increasing the perceived risk of detection. When officers are visibly out on the streets and using targeted tactics, potential offenders weigh the chances of getting noticed and caught as part of their decision process. This makes opportunities to commit offenses less attractive, especially in hot spots or during high-risk times, because the likelihood of interruption rises. The idea fits deterrence theory, which emphasizes how the certainty of being caught shapes behavior more than the severity of punishment. In practice, patrols can reduce crime in the areas they monitor, though effects can vary and sometimes effects spill over to nearby areas, rather than simply disappearing. The other statements don’t fit this understanding: patrols do more than influence traffic, and their primary impact is not to increase crime or to have no effect.