Decision Models Underlying the Journey to Crime (From Punishment, Places and Perpetrators: Developments in Criminology and Criminal Justice Research, P 182-197, 2004, Gerben Bruinsma, Henk Elffers, et al., eds. -- See NCJ-206450)

• NCJ Number: 206461
• Author(s): Henk Elffers
• Date Published: 2004
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: Willan Publishing
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Publication Type: Research (Theoretical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Using burglary as the crime of interest, this chapter examines the various types of offender decisionmaking processes that might underlie the geographic journey to the crime, investigates the journey-to-crime distributions such processes might generate, and discusses the relevance of the distribution of suitable targets.

Abstract

The equation developed for the burglar's decisionmaking processes regarding the choice of a target and the associated distance traveled to the target is based in the rational choice theory of criminal decisions. Under this theory criminals base their choice of crime targets on a cost-benefit analysis of the options available. In journey-to-crime modeling, the "net expected value" of a crime is dependent on the distance traveled in order to commit the crime; i.e., the farther away the target, the lower its value, all other things being equal. The author distinguishes two different processes that generate journeys to crime. In the first decisionmaking pattern, the journey selected is the consequence of an initial decision to commit a crime, followed by a weighing of the various options for a target. Two types of offenders fit this category, however. One plans the target before undertaking the journey ("planning" criminal), and the other wanders around from the starting point looking for a vulnerable target ("wandering" criminal). In the second general decisionmaking pattern, the offender does not initially decide to commit a burglary, but rather is engaged in his routine activities of noncrime-related travel. In the course of his routine activities, however, he is attracted to a particular crime target that appears vulnerable. The author labels this offender the "haphazard" criminal. For each of these three types of burglars, this chapter discusses journey-to-crime decisionmaking variables under the rational choice model. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the possibilities for future research. 8 figures, 3 notes, and 18 references