Identify the policing approach that targets the underlying causes of crime rather than individual incidents.

• A. Crime Bill
• B. Broken Windows Model
• C. Problem-Solving Policing
• D. Police Storefront Stations or Ministations

Answer: (C)

Focusing on the root causes of crime means looking beyond each incident and spotting the patterns and conditions that allow crime to happen. This approach, problem-solving policing, uses a structured process to analyze persistent problems, bring in community and agency partners, and design targeted interventions that reduce opportunities and address underlying factors. For example, addressing a recurring burglary hotspot might involve better lighting, organized guardianship, and linking residents with services—tackling the conditions that enable crime rather than just responding after the fact. This sets it apart from the broken windows idea, which centers on maintaining order and reducing visible disorder rather than tackling deeper drivers of crime. The other options aren’t policing strategies: a crime bill is legislation, and storefront or ministations are simply service locations, not a methods-based approach to solving underlying crime causes.