An Exploratory Study of Motor Vehicular Arson

• In Event: Poster Session II

Abstract

​Research has shown that motor vehicular arson is a complex offense with diverse and sometimes overlapping motivations. Additionally, the mobile nature of these crimes has made research on these offenses difficult. Though widely unstudied, a few researchers have studied motor vehicular arson as a by-product of other crimes for the purpose of crime concealment. Few scholars have examined motor vehicular arson outside of this scheme. In the following study, social and structural correlates of motor vehicular arson are examined through the framework of routine activities theory and social disorganization theory at the block group level. Findings are consistent with previous research showing that rates of occurrence are increased by structural measures such as physical disorder (e.g., abandoned cars, abandoned buildings), and accessibility to transportation. However; racial heterogeneity and certain types of public transportation are shown to decrease rates of occurrence suggesting that community characteristics may play a greater role in understanding arson offending than previously thought.

Author

• Rhena Anna Victoria South, University of Memphis