RESIDENTIAL CRIME

• NCJ Number: 18579
• Author(s): T A REPPETTO
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 181 pages
• Grant Number(s): NI-71-026
• Contract Number(s): J-LEAA-006-72
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Housing and Urban Development; US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Sale Source: Ballinger Publishing Co
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EXAMINES THE RESIDENTIAL CRIME PROBLEMS OF ROBBERY AND BURGLARY IN TERMS OF THE OFFENDER, HIS VICTIM, AND HIS ENVIRONMENT AND RECOMMENDS MODELS FOR THE CONTROL OF RESIDENTIAL CRIME.

Abstract

ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY THAN OTHER CRIMES BETWEEN STRANGERS ON RESIDENTIAL PREMISES. FURTHER, THE RATE AT WHICH THESE CRIMES ARE COMMITTED IS APPARENTLY INCREASING SUBSTANTIALLY, BOTH NATIONALLY AND FOR THE BOSTON METROPOLITAN AREA, THE LOCALE FOR THIS STUDY. THESE FACTS CITED IN THE BOOK'S INTRODUCTION INJECT URGENCY INTO THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS THAT FOLLOW, AS THE AUTHOR EXAMINES THREE COMPONENTS OF THE RESIDENTIAL CRIME PROBLEM - THE OFFENDER, HIS ENVIRONMENT, AND HIS VICTIM. WITH THE GOAL OF ESTABLISHING MORE EFFECTIVE CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR RESIDENTIAL BURGLARIES AND ROBBERIES, THIS STUDY SEEKS TO IDENTIFY, DESCRIBE, AND INTERPRET IN A SYSTEMATIC AND QUANTITATIVE MANNER, THE RATES AND PATTERNS OF THESE CRIMES AND THEIR CORRELATION WITH KEY VARIABLES. INFORMATION USED IN THE STUDY WAS OBTAINED FROM A LITERATURE SEARCH, AN ANALYSIS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE RECORDS PERTAINING TO RESIDENTIAL CRIME, INTERVIEWS WITH NEARLY 1,000 VICTIMS OF RESIDENTIAL ROBBERIES AND BURGLARIES AND AN AUDIT OF THE SECURITY ASPECTS OF THEIR RESIDENCES, A STUDY OF THE COMPARATIVE SECURITY FEATURES OF 39 SELECTED GEOGRAPHIC AREAS, AND DETAILED INTERVIEWS WITH AN ANALYSIS OF THE CRIMINAL HISTORY OF 97 PERSONS CONVICTED OF BURGLARY. FOUR MODELS FOR CONTROL OF RESIDENTIAL CRIME ARE DEVELOPED FROM THE DATA. THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE MODEL RELIES UPON POLICE PATROL AND INVESTIGATION TO DETER, DETECT, AND APPREHEND OFFENDERS WHILE THE COURT AND CORRECTIONAL AGENCIES PUNISH AND REHABILITATE. THE SOCIAL CONTROL MODEL IS BASED ON STRONG TERRITORIAL CONCERN BY NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS WHICH ACTS AS A DETERRENT TO POTENTIAL OFFENDERS. THE LIMITED ACCESS MODEL USES PHYSICAL ARRANGEMENTS TO LIMIT ACCESS TO RESIDENTS AND PERSONS WHO CAN PASS A SECURITY CHECK. THE FOURTH MODEL IS THE DISTANCE MODEL CHARACTERIZED BY THE LOCATION OF RESIDENCES AWAY FROM THE URBAN CORE PROBLEM AREAS. DATA INSTRUMENTS AND STATISTICAL TABLES ARE INCLUDED IN THE APPENDIXES. (SNI ABSTRACT)