Neighborhood Trust and Co-offending

• In Event: Trust, Social Networks, and Identity in Context

Abstract

Recent findings show that the decision to co-offend is dependent on community structure. Communities that have strong cohesion may simultaneously experience a decrease in crime and an increase in co-offending. Committing a crime is a risky endeavor that can result in loss of income, freedom, and life. As a result, co-offending criminals must greatly trust one another. Communities that have high levels of trust amongst neighbors and high levels of community stability can make the decision to offend together less risky. Previous studies have focused on proxies of trust and stability. This study tests this hypothesis in a robust manner using direct measurements of community trust from telephone surveys in Baton Rouge. This study uses a multi-level model with direct measures of community trust to predict the likelihood of an individual to co-offend when committing a violent crime.

Authors

• Anthony Reed, Louisiana State University

• Ed Shihadeh, Louisiana State University

• Michael S. Barton, Louisiana State University

• Frederick Weil, Louisiana State University