Using the insight of the Rational Theorists, the objective of this work is to provide an explanation of why willing offenders are able to find suitable targets and/or an absence of guardians in these areas that make them so crime prone. This work will further, based upon the knowledge the writer possesses of the approaches that available for addressing crime and with the attitudes of the city of New York toward crime, recommendations will be developed for improvement of this 'hot spots'.
             There are many theoretical perspectives one might apply in attempting to address a solution for reduction of the extremely high rate of crime in such cities as New York and one of these is the theory of the 'Rationalists' which is quite similar to the situational prevention theory. The Rational Choice Theory is discussed in the work of Browning, Halcli and Webster (2000) entitled: "Understanding Contemporary Society: Theories of the Present" who state that this theory is one that makes the assumption that social phenomena that is complex is nature "can be explained in terms of the elementary individual actions of which they are composed." (Scott, nd) This view is referred to as one based on 'methodological individualism', which states that: "The elementary unit of social life is the individual human action. To explain social institutions and social change is to show how they arise as the result of the action and interactions of individuals." (Elster, 1989: 13; as cited in Scott, nd) This theory holds that individuals are motivated by their wants or goals and that they act within "specific, given restraints and on the basis of the information they have about the conditions under which they are acting." (Scott, nd)
             From the perspective of the 'Rational Theorists' the factor of social interaction and exchange
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