NCJ Number
231801
Journal
Global Crime Volume: 11 Issue: 3 Dated: August 2010 Pages: 298-313
Date Published
August 2010
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This study examined whether the correlates of distance to crime found in previous studies hold true in a sample of prison inmates in the Mexico City, metropolitan area (MCMA).
Abstract
This study examined the correlates of distance to crime in a sample of 412 prison inmates in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area. The study focused on crimes of theft and included a spatial analysis of the crime scene and the place of residence of the prison inmates. The data show a high clustering of criminals in a few neighborhoods surrounding the old downtown area. Also, 38.8 percent of the sampled criminals committed their crimes in the same neighborhood where they lived. Regression analysis revealed two independent and positive correlations of distance to crime: the monetary gain of the crime and if the prison inmates' intimate partner was also in jail. These findings suggest that, aside from the monetary rationale in the distance to crime function, the neighborhood and family contexts deserve further research for a better understanding of criminal behavior in Mexico. Figure, tables, and maps (Published Abstract)