NCJ Number
181255
Journal
British Journal of Criminology Volume: 38 Issue: 1 Dated: Winter 1998 Pages: 61-77
Editor(s)
Richard Sparks
Date Published
1998
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This article maintains that residential burglary is complicated and relatively unattractive in Malaga, Spain, and analyzes possible alternatives to burglary.
Abstract
The research considered the proximity of a tourist area to a compact city and identified geographically close but different areas with striking differences in population composition and crime opportunities. More than 3,000 households in the province of Malaga were interviewed about their experiences with crime; 1,565 interviews were conducted in the city of Malaga and 876 in coastal areas. The main objective was to distinguish crime patterns in the city and on the coast, and consideration was given to burglary sites, burglar residences, and spatial displacement of burglars. Two possible forms of alternatives to burglary were analyzed: (1) shift toward other targets, street robbery instead of burglary, and toward other locations; and (2) breaking into holiday homes in tourist settlements along the coast. Empirical support was found for the first alternative but not for the second. The tourist area was very much subject to burglary, but burglars did not come from the nearby city. Implications of the findings for criminological theory and crime prevention policy are discussed. 36 references, 9 footnotes, 1 table, and 4 figures