NCJ Number
74021
Date Published
1980
Length
11 pages
Annotation
Results are reported from a study designed to determine the relationship between offender social characteristics --age, sex, race-- and criminal mobility.
Abstract
The data used were obtained from the cleared arrest files of the Dade County Public Safety Department of the Miami, Fla., standard metropolitan statistical area. The data consisted of 498 randomly selected robbery trips that occurred in the unincorporated area in 1975. The trip distances were calculated for each trip by first plotting the origin (location of offender residence) and the destination (location of offense) on a detailed street map and then converting these to coordinate locations. The sample of trips revealed that 49.8 percent of the robberies were committed by persons less than 20-years old, and 50.2 percent were older than 19 years of age. The average distance traveled by the older offenders was more than twice that of the younger ones -- 4.98 and 2.02 miles respectively. Even though blacks committed more than 2.6 times the number of robberies committed by whites, whites traveled greater distances. Older offenders in the sample committed a significantly greater proportion of armed robberies compared to offenders less than 20 years of age. In terms of the types of places robbed, older offenders showed a preference for open space sites, convenience stores, misscellaneous businesses, and residences; younger offenders preferred open spaces, convenience stores, gas stations, and miscellaneous businesses. Sex was not significant in any of the factors measured. Subsequent analyses, where females constitute a greater proportion of the sampled offenders, may result in different conclusions. Tabular data and 22 notes are provided. For related papers, see NCJ 74011.