NCJ Number
32897
Journal
Crime and Delinquency Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1976) Pages: 166-177
Date Published
1976
Length
12 pages
Annotation
EXAMINATION OF ARGUMENT THAT CRIME PREVENTION PROGRAMS WHICH STRESS OPPORTUNITY REDUCTION OR INCREASED RISK TO OFFENDERS MERELY DISPLACE CRIME - THAT IS, SHIFT ITS INCIDENCE TO OTHER FORMS, TIMES, AND LOCALES.
Abstract
THE PAPER IS BASED IN PART ON TWO EMPIRICAL STUDIES THAT EXAMINED THE CRIMINAL HISTORIES OF AND INTERVIEWS WITH 146 ROBBERS AND BURGLARS. DETERMINISTIC AND OPPORTUNISTIC CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR AND THE INFLUENCE OF PERSONALITY, AGE, AND CRIME TYPE ON THE DISPLACEMENT POTENTIAL OF VARIOUS OFFENDERS ARE ANALYZED. THE RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THERE ARE DEFINITE LIMITS TO VARIOUS DISPLACEMENT POSSIBILITIES. SOME CRIMES ARE SO OPPORTUNISTIC THAT THEIR PREVENTION IN ONE CIRCUMSTANCE WILL LEAD TO THEIR OCCURRENCE IN ANOTHER. EVEN IN INSTANCES WHERE OFFENDERS BLOCKED IN ONE SPHERE WOULD WISH TO OPERATE IN ANOTHER, LIMITS AND COSTS WILL LESSEN THE FREQUENCY OF OPERATION AND THEREFORE REDUCE THE OVERALL CRIME RATE. THE STUDY FURTHER SUGGESTS THAT THE LIMITATIONS TO DISPLACEMENT ARE SALIENT FOR SPECIFIC TYPES OF CRIMES, CRIMINALS, AND GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. THUS THE DISPLACEMENT POTENTIAL OF AN ANTICRIME STRATEGY CAN BE GAUGED IN ADVANCE AND, IN CERTAIN INSTANCES, BE MINIMIZED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)