Guardianship refers to a person or an object that is effective in deterring criminal offenses,<ref name="Social Inequality">{{cite journal |last1=Cohen |first1=Lawrence E. |last2=Kluegel |first2=James R. |last3=Land |first3=Kenneth C. |title=Social Inequality and Predatory Criminal Victimization: An Exposition and Test of A Formal Theory|journal=American Sociological Review|date=1981|volume=46 |issue=5 |pages=505–524|doi=10.2307/2094935 |jstor=2094935 }}</ref> and sometimes crime is stopped by simple presence of guardianship in space and time.<ref>{{Citecite book journal|lastlast1=Felson |firstfirst1=Marcus |datechapter=1995Those Who Discourage Crime |titlepages=Those53–66 who|chapter-url=https://popcenter.asu.edu/sites/default/files/library/CrimePrevention/Volume_04/03-Felson.pdf discourage|editor1-last=Eck crime|journaleditor1-first=John E. |editor2-last=Weisburd |editor2-first=David |title=Crime and Place |date=1995 |series=Crime Prevention Studies |volume=4 |pagespublisher=53–66Criminal Justice Press |isbn=978-1-881798-05-7 }}</ref> A guardian would not necessarily have to be a policeman or a security guard but rather a person whose proximity or presence would lower the chances of a crime happening. This could include a housewife, a doorman, a neighbor or a co-worker. Whilst inadvertent, the presence of a guardian has a powerful impact on the likelihood of a crime taking place. Thus when the guardian is not within the vicinity of the target, the likelihood of a crime occurring is significantly higher.{{sfn|Felson|Clarke|1998|p=4}}
