Investigating the Interaction Effects of Settings on Crime Hot Spots and Cold Spots

• In Event: The Determinants and Implications of Disorder

Abstract

Certain types of physical and social settings of places attract more criminal activities than other settings. The better the understanding of those characteristics of criminogenic settings, including main effects and interaction effects of factors on the places, the better the prevention strategies to deal with crimes. Based on three sampling process, 200 crime hot spots and cold spots samples in Newark, New Jersey are selected. The observation research method employs a checklist that includes physical disorder, physical order, social disorder, and social disorder. By separating actual or extant risk factors from potential risk factors, this research does not define risk factors as crime generators in all situations and settings and suggests an answer as to why some risk factors do not take negative roles in some situations and settings. Policy implications for effective crime prevention are also discussed.

Author

• Eon Kim, Rutgers University