The analysis, interpretation, and understanding of spatial and temporal patterns of criminal activity is well within the field of environmental criminology (Wortley & Mazerolle, 2008). In this field, crime is the main focus of theory, analysis, and practice, not the person. Crime is seen as a product of person-situation interaction, and is greatly determined by the criminogenic environments in which it is carried out. Since criminogenic environments and human activities are not randomly distributed across space and time, it follows that crime distribution across time and space is also non-random. Thus, the “where” and “when” of crimes can be visualized and be subjected to advanced analysis using techniques in geography. The visualization of crime in space and time is very important in optimally deploying limited police and community resources for crime prevention purposes.
There are three complementing theories in environmental criminology that attempt to explain the patterning of crimes in space and time. The first theory is the rational choice perspective (Cornish & Clarke, 2008). This theory explicates the nature of crime and its actor. In this perspective, crime is considered to be purposive and rational, and, thus, the actor is also purposive and rational. This actor consistently calculates the risk and benefits of his criminal activities or acts leading to these activities, and according to Cornish & Clarke (2008: 25) “will try to select the best available means to achieve them.” However, they are quick to say that because of situational constraints met along the way upon planning or while committing an offense, the offender would likely settle for satisfactory and sufficient outcomes, not really the intended optimal be...
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This article gives some examples of crimes and how they were solved using a psychology technique along with how criminal profiling is used to solve crimes and how the profilers know how to slim down the suspects. In the first case, there was a man that planted bombs in multiple places each time writing a note in block letters- signing it F.P. The first bomb was found in 1940, in 1954 he struck four times, and in 1955 five times. In
Maguire, M., Morgan, R., and Reiner, R. (2012) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th ed. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
The Uniform Crime Report also allows us to geographically see crimes spread over the United States. Where certain crimes are committed, who is committing them, and when they are most likely committed. These trends allow for federal and local law enforcement to predict where patrolling may need to be more prevalent or allow criminal profilers to be able to speculate what type of person is a possible suspect for a certa...
http://www.ojip.usdoj.gov/nij. [Internet Website]. "Crime and Place: Plenary Papers of the 1997 Conference on Criminal Justice Research and Evaluation."
Holmes, R., & Holmes, S. (1996). Profiling violent crimes: An investigative tool (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Lilly, Robert J., Francis T. Cullen, and Richard A. Ball. 2011. Criminological Theory: Context And Consequences. 5th ed. California: SAGE.
Some of this Data is shown that every 3.6 seconds there is one crime index offense, one property crime every 3.2 seconds, one violent crime every 22.2 seconds, one burglary every 14.4 seconds, one Larceny-Theft every 4.8 seconds one motor vehicle theift every 26.4 seconds, one Murder every 30.9 Minutes, one Forcible Rape every 5.7 Minutes, one Robbery every 1.2 minutes and one Aggravated assaulted every 36.6
The foundation of our legal system rest upon the single philosophy that humans hold their own fate. Even though, we perceive in our daily lives the persistence of causation and effect. Even children understand the simplistic principle that every action will have a reaction. Despite this obvious knowledge, we as a society still implanted the belief that our actions are purely our own. Yet, with the comprehension of force that environmental factors impact our development, we continue to sentence people for crimes committed. Moreover, uncontrollable environmental influences are not the only deterministic factors we ignore in our societal view of crime. One’s biological composition can work against any moral motives that they
The communities, in which we live, work and raise our children demand the safest environment possible. A common approach to crime fighting is to respond after the event and incarcerate the offender. The results of this approach have been increasingly burdensome on law enforcement, th...
Morgan, R., Maguire, M. And Reiner, R. (2012). The Oxford Handbook of Criminology. 5th ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Worrall, J. L. (2008). Reducing criminal opportunities through environmental manipulation. In Crime control in America: what works? (2nd ed., pp. 295-296). [Vitalsource for Kaplan University]. Retrieved from http://online.vitalsource.com/books/9781269308267
Crime analysis is the systematic study of crime and disorder problems as well as other police related issues including sociodemographic, spatial, and temporal factors to assist the police in criminal apprehension, crime and disorder reduction, crime prevention, and evaluation (Santos). Crime analysts, sometimes called intelligence analysts, use three primary types of crime analysis. Tactical crime analysis is used to identify immediate crime threats determine patterns (i.e. location, suspect descriptive), and disseminate that information to patrol officers and detectives. Strategic crime analysis involves gathering in interpreting crime data, then making recommendations as to where police resources are best concentrated. Finally, administrative
Environmental Criminology focuses more on people given opportunity to commit crimes rather than why individuals commit crimes. This is seemingly a confusing theory to grip but there are many different theories that fall into the metaphorical folder of Environmental Criminology. Some of these theories that stood out to me personally are the Situational Crime Prevention Theory, Offender Search Theory, Broken Windows Theory, and James Q. Wilson’s, “Thinking About Crime.” I believe that these four theories/writings have a significant amount to do with crime and why criminals commit the crimes they do.