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Criminal Neighbourhoods: Does the Density of Prior Offenders in an Area Encourage others to Commit Crime?

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Listed:
  • Mark Livingston

    (Urban Studies, University of Glasgow, 25 Bute Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RS, Scotland)

  • George Galster

    (Urban Studies and Planning, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202, USA)

  • Ade Kearns

    (School of Social and Political Science, University of Glasgow, 26 Bute Gardens, Glasgow G12 8QQ, Scotland)

  • Jon Bannister

    (The Manchester Centre for Youth Studies, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M15 6BH, England)

Abstract

Using crime data over a period of a decade for Glasgow, this paper explores whether the density of prior offenders in a neighbourhoods has an influence on the propensity of others to (re)commence offending. The study shows that the number of ‘newly active’ offenders in a neighbourhood in the current quarter is positively associated with the density of prior offenders for both violent and property crime from the previous two years. In the case of newly active property offenders, the relationship with active prior offenders is apparent only when prior offender counts exceed the median. The paper postulates that intraneighbourhood social mechanisms may be at work to create these effects. The results suggest that policies which concentrate offenders in particular neighbourhoods may increase the number of newly active offenders, and point to evidence of a threshold at which these effects take place.

Suggested Citation

  • Mark Livingston & George Galster & Ade Kearns & Jon Bannister, 2014. "Criminal Neighbourhoods: Does the Density of Prior Offenders in an Area Encourage others to Commit Crime?," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 46(10), pages 2469-2488, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:46:y:2014:i:10:p:2469-2488
    DOI: 10.1068/a140180p
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Case, A.C. & Katz, L.F., 1991. "The Company You Keep: The Effects Of Family And Neighborhood On Disadvantaged Younths," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 1555, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
    4. Galster, George, 2002. "An economic efficiency analysis of deconcentrating poverty populations," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 303-329, December.
    5. Spelman, William, 1993. "Abandoned buildings: Magnets for crime?," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 21(5), pages 481-495.
    6. Lance E. Hannon, 2005. "Extremely Poor Neighborhoods and Homicide," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 86(s1), pages 1418-1434, December.
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