space, time, and crime third edition kim michelle lersch timothy c. hart carolina academic press...

Space, Time, and CrimeSpace, Time, and Crime

THIRD EDITIONTHIRD EDITION

Kim Michelle LerschKim Michelle LerschTimothy C. HartTimothy C. Hart

CAROLINA ACADEMIC PRESSCAROLINA ACADEMIC PRESS

Introduction / Chapter 1Introduction / Chapter 1

Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved. Reserved.

Introduction: Introduction: The Beltway Sniper CaseThe Beltway Sniper Case

14 innocent people shot at random by 14 innocent people shot at random by pair of serial sniperspair of serial snipers

No pattern in shooting locations or No pattern in shooting locations or characteristics of victimscharacteristics of victims

Random time / place for crimesRandom time / place for crimesThis type of violence is exception, not This type of violence is exception, not

ruleruleLack of pattern made crimes especially Lack of pattern made crimes especially

newsworthynewsworthyCopyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights

Reserved. Reserved.

Introduction, cont.Introduction, cont.

Basic Assumptions for course:Basic Assumptions for course:Crime is not evenly distributed across Crime is not evenly distributed across

locations, times, victims, or targetslocations, times, victims, or targetsCertain locations, times are more Certain locations, times are more

dangerous than othersdangerous than othersCertain groups of people have a much Certain groups of people have a much

higher likelihood of becoming a victim of higher likelihood of becoming a victim of crimecrime

Crime is not a random eventCrime is not a random event


Chapter 1: Chapter 1: Places and Spaces in HistoryPlaces and Spaces in History

Interest in the examination of crime and Interest in the examination of crime and space dates back to early 1800sspace dates back to early 1800s

Adriano Balbi and Andre-Michel Guerry are Adriano Balbi and Andre-Michel Guerry are usually credited with being first creators of usually credited with being first creators of maps of crimemaps of crime

First national crime stats were released in First national crime stats were released in France in 1827; combined with census France in 1827; combined with census datadata

Balbi & Guerry found that wealthy areas Balbi & Guerry found that wealthy areas had high property crime; areas with low had high property crime; areas with low education had low rates of violent crimeseducation had low rates of violent crimes


Work of Adolphe QueteletWork of Adolphe Quetelet

Quetelet was a mathematician; able to use Quetelet was a mathematician; able to use sophisticated stats sophisticated stats

Found young, poor, male, and unemployed Found young, poor, male, and unemployed persons were more likely to commit crimespersons were more likely to commit crimes

Found fewer reported crimes in areas with Found fewer reported crimes in areas with high poverty, unemploymenthigh poverty, unemployment

Concluded crimes were more likely to be Concluded crimes were more likely to be committed by poor & unemployed against committed by poor & unemployed against wealthy, educated personswealthy, educated persons

Inequality was important; felt poor were Inequality was important; felt poor were drawn into wealthier areas to commit drawn into wealthier areas to commit crimescrimes


Declining interest in Declining interest in geography of crimegeography of crime

Analysis was difficult without Analysis was difficult without calculators or statistical programscalculators or statistical programs

Data availability was poor; France Data availability was poor; France was exceptionwas exceptionIn U.S. there was no bank of modern, In U.S. there was no bank of modern,

national datanational dataStudy of geography of crime in U.S. sat Study of geography of crime in U.S. sat

dormant until Chicago School of dormant until Chicago School of Criminology, early 1900sCriminology, early 1900s


What is Space?What is Space?

Places versus spacesPlaces versus spacesPlacesPlaces

Ex: house, business, classroom, individual Ex: house, business, classroom, individual address, etc.address, etc.

Places are much smaller than spacesPlaces are much smaller than spacesA place is an individual point in a spaceA place is an individual point in a space

SpacesSpacesNeighborhoods, census tracts, larger Neighborhoods, census tracts, larger

territoriesterritories


Defining SpacesDefining Spaces

Spaces may be defined a number of Spaces may be defined a number of waysways

““Official” boundaries – census blocks, Official” boundaries – census blocks, crime tracts, planned neighborhoods by crime tracts, planned neighborhoods by developers, etc.developers, etc.

Informal boundaries – where do residents Informal boundaries – where do residents define their neighborhood? May not define their neighborhood? May not coincide with “official” boundariescoincide with “official” boundaries

Personal boundaries—defined by Personal boundaries—defined by cognitive or internal mental maps cognitive or internal mental maps


What is Time? What is Time?

Study of time in relation to the Study of time in relation to the occurrence of crimes is called temporal occurrence of crimes is called temporal analysisanalysis

Table on Page 7: High risk places and Table on Page 7: High risk places and timestimesMore likely to be a victim of homicide / More likely to be a victim of homicide /

agg. Assault during evening hours on a agg. Assault during evening hours on a weekendweekend

More likely to have your home broken into More likely to have your home broken into during the daytime on a weekdayduring the daytime on a weekday


Moments in TimeMoments in Time

Moment: Provides the time that a Moment: Provides the time that a crime occurred in space—when and crime occurred in space—when and wherewhere

Pinpointing time of a crime can be Pinpointing time of a crime can be difficultdifficultExact time crimesExact time crimes

Time may be determined with relative Time may be determined with relative accuracy by victimaccuracy by victim

More likely to be violent personal crimes, such More likely to be violent personal crimes, such as robbery, rape, assaultas robbery, rape, assault


space, time, and crime third edition kim michelle lersch timothy c. hart carolina academic press...

Documents

victim of crime crime

examination of crime

targets crime

crimes inequality

random event crime

high property crime

crime adriano balbi

national crime stats