TY - JOUR
T1 - Where offenders choose to attack
T2 - A discrete choice model of robberies in Chicago
AU - Bernasco, Wim
AU - Block, Richard
PY - 2009/2
Y1 - 2009/2
N2 - Why do robbers choose a particular area to commit an offense? Do they rob close to home? Do they search for areas with suitable and attractive targets? What keeps them away from certain areas? To answer these questions, a model is developed of how robbers choose target areas. The model draws on various theoretical and empirical traditions, which include environmental criminology, journey to crime research, gang research, and social disorganization theory. Testing the model on cleared robbery cases in Chicago in the years 1996-1998, we demonstrate that robbery location choice is related to characteristics of target areas, to areas where offenders live, to joint characteristics of the resident and target areas, and to characteristics of the offenders themselves. The presence of illegal markets and other crime generators and crime attractors make areas attractive for robbers, whereas collective efficacy seems to keep them out. Distance as well as racial and ethnic segregation restrict the mobility of offenders.
AB - Why do robbers choose a particular area to commit an offense? Do they rob close to home? Do they search for areas with suitable and attractive targets? What keeps them away from certain areas? To answer these questions, a model is developed of how robbers choose target areas. The model draws on various theoretical and empirical traditions, which include environmental criminology, journey to crime research, gang research, and social disorganization theory. Testing the model on cleared robbery cases in Chicago in the years 1996-1998, we demonstrate that robbery location choice is related to characteristics of target areas, to areas where offenders live, to joint characteristics of the resident and target areas, and to characteristics of the offenders themselves. The presence of illegal markets and other crime generators and crime attractors make areas attractive for robbers, whereas collective efficacy seems to keep them out. Distance as well as racial and ethnic segregation restrict the mobility of offenders.
KW - Chicago
KW - Criminal target choice
KW - Discrete choice
KW - Journey to crime
KW - Robbery
KW - Social barrier
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=61749088335&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=61749088335&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.2009.00140.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1745-9125.2009.00140.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:61749088335
SN - 0011-1384
VL - 47
SP - 93
EP - 130
JO - Criminology
JF - Criminology
IS - 1
ER -
