Response and Nonresponse: Contrasting Survey Response Rates across Different Types of Crime Hot Spots

• In Event: Crime and Place: The Baltimore Longitudinal Hot Spots Study: Methodological Challenges and Lessons Learned

Abstract

Starting in 2012, the Baltimore Longitudinal Hot Spots Study undertook a research effort to complete over 3,700 face-to-face surveys of residents in Baltimore City, MD. Participants were selected based on their residing on a street segments selected through a stratified sampling strategy. Segments were characterized as; 1) Drug Hot Spot Areas, 2) Predatory Violent Crime Hot Spots Areas, 3) Both Drug and Predatory Crime Hot Spot Areas, and 4) Comparison Areas. This presentation compares response/nonresponse rates across these categories of areas, as well as highlighting several challenges that each type of area presented. An important and surprising finding is that many of the most crime ridden areas turned out to be easier to gain responses in, while so called cool spots turned out to present significant problems for gaining cooperation.

Authors

• Brian Lawton, George Mason University

• David Weisburd, George Mason University / Hebrew University

• Justin Ready, Arizona State University

• Amelia Haviland, Carnegie Mellon University

• Breanne Cave, George Mason University

• Matthew Nelson, George Mason University