URBAN CRIME PATTERNS

• NCJ Number: 18774
• Author(s): S L BOGGS
• Date Published: Unknown
• Length: 10 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: Washington University
• Corporate Author: American Sociological Review
• Publication Format: Document
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIOLOGICAL REVIEW.

Annotation

THIS STUDY EXAMINES CRIME OCCURRENCE RATES IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL OPPORTUNITIES RELEVANT TO 12 INDEX CRIME CATEGORIES IN THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

Abstract

A FACTOR-ANALYTIC TEST OF THESE CRIME-SPECIFIC OCCURRENCE RATES AND THE CORRESPONDING CRIMINAL OFFENDER RATES INDICATES THAT DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS ARE EXPLOITED FOR DIFFERENT KINDS OF CRIME. TWO MAJOR COMPONENTS OF CRIME OCCURRENCE ARE IDENTIFIED. FAMILIARITY OF OFFENDERS WITH THEIR TARGETS IS ONE FACTOR SUGGESTED BY THE KINDS OF OFFENSES THAT OCCUR IN HIGH OFFENDER NIEGHBORHOODS. PROFITABLENESS IS ANOTHER ELEMENT OF CRIME OCCURRENCE, SUGGESTED BY THE TYPES OF CRIME THAT OCCUR IN HIGH SOCIAL RANK NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE CRIME TARGETS ARE LIKELY TO BE OF GREATER VALUE THAN AMONG THE LOW-RANK POPULATIONS IN OFFENDERS OWN AREAS. FURTHER RESEARCH IS SUGGESTED IN THE AREAS OF MORE DIRECT MEASURES AND MORE SENSITIVE ESTIMATES OF CRIME TARGETS AND THE QUESTION OF WHETHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITY TAKES PLACE IN THE OFFENDERS' OWN NEIGHBORHOODS. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED)