The staged activity analysis consisted of extensive interviews and "ride alongs" during which time informants reconstructed and simulated burglaries they had committed and evaluated dwellings burglarized by other study informants. In general, informants did not plan their burglaries; over 75 percent of reconstructed burglaries were crimes of opportunity. Burglars interviewed in prison or those recalling crimes from the past tended to engage in rational reconstruction, reinterpreting past behavior in a manner consistent with what should have been rather than what actually occurred. Burglars appeared to rely on environmental cues at or near the target site to evaluate risk. Gain cues pertained to the quality and quantity of property inside the target, while risk cues involved surveillability, occupancy, and accessibility. Clearly, burglars seemed to be more opportunistic than previously believed and chose targets based on their perceived vulnerability at a particular time. Burglary prevention programs should emphasize modifying situational cues, since dogs, good locks, and alarm systems that give a residence the illusion of occupancy deter most burglars. 12 references
Downloads
No download available
Similar Publications
- Treating Drug-Abusing Women Prisoners: An Outcomes Evaluation of the Forever Free Program
- Private Sector Involvement in Prison-Based Businesses - A National Assessment
- Reducing Disorder, Fear, and Crime in Public Housing: An Evaluation of a Drug Crime Elimination Program in Spokane, Washington: Final Report