NCJ Number
195426
Journal
Crime Prevention and Community Safety: An International Journal Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: 2002 Pages: 53-64
Date Published
2002
Length
12 pages
Annotation
Cohen and Felson's routine activity theory asserts that crime occurs when motivated offenders converge in time and space with targets that lack capable guardianship; this research examined how Hurricane Hugo altered routine activities during the period of September 22 through October 2, 1989, in Charlotte, NC.
Abstract
A modified routine activity framework was used to explain the conceptual linkages among routine activities, time, calls to the police, and weather. Further, various time periods were defined as being primarily for the pursuit of either obligatory or discretionary routine activities. The calls-for-service data were obtained from the computer-aided dispatch files of the Charlotte Police Department. The findings indicate that Hurricane Hugo seriously impeded and impaired the normal activities of the city. Calls for service increased greatly during the day of Hugo's arrival, and they remained high for over a week. The inability of the city's residents to pursue their normal routine activity patterns meant that time periods ordinarily used for the pursuit of obligatory activities changed to discretionary time periods. Moreover, although the police still performed their law enforcement function, the nature and volume of the calls indicate a greater focus on order maintenance and service functions. On the day of Hugo's arrival and over the following 3 days of recovery, burglary reports were much higher than normal, as were reports of a "man with a gun." The former implies that the hurricane increased the number of perceived vulnerable targets, and the latter implies that more residents were using guns to enhance personal security and the protection of their property. 1 table, 7 figures, and 17 notes