Crime Prevention and the Understanding of Repeat Victimization

It is well known that large proportion of all crimes are commited against victims who have been victimized before. Focusing preventive measures on repeat victims may help reduce repeat victimization as well as the crime rate. In order to achieve this, we have to identify cases of repeat victimization. Research on concentration of crime is very important for understanding crime trends and detecting areas with repeated victimization. Knowledge of concentration of crime may help planning of preventive strategies. If there is a high concentration of crime, prevention strategy will be oriented to individuals that are at risk of repeated victimization. The aim of this paper is to highlight the significance of research on concentration of crime as a parameter indicating the extent of repeated victimization.

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A Comparison of Burglary Near Repeat Victimization Between Rural and Urban Areas Using a Target-Based Assessment of Criminal Opportunity

International Criminal Justice Review ◽

10.1177/10575677211041920 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 105756772110419

Author(s):

Spencer P. Chainey

Keyword(s):

Crime Prevention ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Repeat Victimization ◽

Rural And Urban Areas ◽

Rural And Urban ◽

Rural Settings ◽

Criminal Opportunity ◽

Near Repeat ◽

Repeat Pattern

Numerous studies have shown that near repeat victimization of burglaries can account for a substantial minority of burglaries in urban settings. Using a method based on the distribution of potential targets to determine the size of spatial bandwidths, the presence of burglary near repeats in rural areas was examined and compared to the level of near repeats in urban areas. A significant burglary near repeat pattern was observed in rural areas, but was restricted to the spatial and temporal bands that were closest to and most recently after a previous burglary. The proportion of all burglaries that were near repeats in this nearest spatial and temporal bands was greater than that observed in urban areas. The findings lead to extending how the boost account and offender foraging principles may apply in rural settings, and the identification of crime prevention opportunities that counter near repeats in rural areas.

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