Prevention
Prevention is a critical component for combating identity crime. Unlike other more conventional crimes, these types of crimes allow the perpetrator to remain anonymous. Identity crime is not a traditional crime that police can fight in traditional ways, such as deploying resources to an affected area to reduce crime. This unconventional crime calls for different, innovative prevention techniques.
One way to address prevention efforts focuses upon five strategies (Newman and McNally, Identity Theft Literature Review, NIJ final grant report 210459, 2005).
- Increase the effort the offender must make to complete the crime.
- Increase the risks of getting caught.
- Reduce rewards that result from the crime.
- Reduce provocations that may encourage the offender.
- Remove excuses the offender has to justify the crime.
Specific approaches for each strategy vary. Different approaches may be more useful based upon law enforcement resources, jurisdictional issues, partnerships that address the issue, community resources, and whether the effort is at the local, state, regional or federal level.
- Agencies should consider sponsoring ongoing education programs for both the public and officers. While a prevention campaign may include information on the type of suspects - opportunists or organized - it should also focus on the method of operation.
- Partnerships among law enforcement agencies, community, and business groups are a key element in preventing identity crime. Agencies should start by locating resources and identifying promising programs.
Learn how to protect personal information with our “Prevention Toolkit (11.3 MB)”
To obtain hard copies of ID Safety Toolkits, please download, print and submit Order Form. You can send your comments to the project staff using Feedback Form.
