NCJ Number
194019
Date Published
2002
Length
11 pages
Annotation
This study used data from one area in Great Britain to examine temporal variations in crime hot spots.
Abstract
The study arose from recognition that most analyses of hot spots focused on spatial clustering of crimes and did not consider other dimensions that might provide more accurate tactical guidance for using police resources. The data came from the area served by one Basic Command Unit of a British police agency. The analysis focused on information from 62 issues of an internal document that focused on 42 hot spots identified between May and November 2000. The study examined data on auto-related crime, residential burglary, and violence by week, beat, and crime type during March 2000 to January 2001. Results revealed distinctions between transient hot spots and enduring hot spots and indicated that the different methods of calculating hot spots differed in their strengths and weaknesses. The results also indicated the usefulness of focusing on the dimensions of time and demographics as well as spatial distribution and led to the use of the SARA problem-solving model for areas with high crime levels at all times. Tables, note, and 6 references