Profiling Proximal Places: How Street Segment Crime Signature Analysis can Inform Theory and Practice

• In Event: Crime and Place: Disaggregating Hot Street Segments from Cinci and Sin City: Theory, Research, and Practical Implications

Abstract

Braga and Clarke (2014) recently suggested that future high-risk crime place research should determine whether social disorganization theory offers insight and strategy for addressing criminal opportunities at specific places (Weisburd, Groff and Yang, 2012). In response, this paper begins by examining the crime signatures of street segments. Crime signatures are data patterns produced by place- and crime-specific opportunity structures (Eck and Madensen, 2009; Bowers and Johnson, 2004). Analysis of street segment crime signatures in Las Vegas, Nevada, will determine: (1) whether different crime types produce different signatures at the street block, or proximal, level; (2) the degree to which street segment signatures remain consistent over time; (3) whether crime signatures appear to be a function of proprietary place management or proximal place influences (Madensen and Eck, 2012); and (4) if clusters of street segment signatures manifest larger signature patterns. Policy implications for theory, research, and crime reduction strategies will be discussed.

Authors

• Jonathan Birds, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

• Tamara D. Madensen, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

• YongJei Lee, University of Cincinnati