NCJ Number
231000
Journal
Criminology Volume: 48 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2010 Pages: 389-416
Date Published
May 2010
Length
28 pages
Annotation
Building on crime pattern theory and combining information from police records and other sources, this study confirms that offenders who commit robberies, residential burglaries, thefts from vehicles, and assaults are more likely to target their current and former residential areas than similar areas they never lived in.
Abstract
Many offenses take place close to where the offender lives. Anecdotal evidence suggests that offenders also might commit crimes near their former homes. In support of the argument that spatial awareness mediates the effects of past and current residence, the current study also shows that areas of past and present residence are more likely to be targeted if the offender lived in the area for a long time instead of briefly and if the offender has moved away from the area only recently rather than a long time ago. The theoretical implications of these findings and their use for investigative purposes are discussed, and suggestions for future inquiry are made. Tables and references (Published Abstract)