Organized Crime and Places

This chapter begins by discussing the three types of organized crime—racketeering, transit crime, and the local provision of illegal goods and services—and the significance of place. It then considers the role of places and the (built) environment for organized crime. The main message is that place has a different meaning for these three types of organized crime and raises several theoretical challenges. As these types of organized crime often require a higher degree of social organization than opportunistic street-level crime, the chapter elaborates on two theoretical concepts that should be included in the study of organized crime and place: social opportunity structure and offender convergence settings.

On the Roles of Perceived Safety and Security in Transportation Choice

To what extent does perceived safety and security influence the amount and pattern of use on public transportation systems? While it is assumed to be a major factor in modal choice, there is little empirical research to show that it is. The major relevant studies are briefly reviewed. Then the results of recent surveys of both users and non-users of public transportation are presented. Perceived safety is discussed in relation to frequency of system use, sex, age, and sources of information about transit crime. The influence of other factors on mode choice are also reported.