Space, Time, and Crime THIRD EDITION Kim Michelle Lersch Timothy C. Hart CAROLINA ACADEMIC PRESS Introduction / Chapter 1 Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction: The Beltway Sniper Case 14 innocent people shot at random by pair of serial snipers 14 innocent people shot at random by pair of serial snipers No pattern in shooting locations or characteristics of victims No pattern in shooting locations or characteristics of victims Random time / place for crimes Random time / place for crimes This type of violence is exception, not rule This type of violence is exception, not rule Lack of pattern made crimes especially newsworthy Lack of pattern made crimes especially newsworthy Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

Introduction, cont. Basic Assumptions for course: Basic Assumptions for course: Crime is not evenly distributed across locations, times, victims, or targets Crime is not evenly distributed across locations, times, victims, or targets Certain locations, times are more dangerous than others Certain locations, times are more dangerous than others Certain groups of people have a much higher likelihood of becoming a victim of crime Certain groups of people have a much higher likelihood of becoming a victim of crime Crime is not a random event Crime is not a random event Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 1: Places and Spaces in History Interest in the examination of crime and space dates back to early 1800s Interest in the examination of crime and space dates back to early 1800s Adriano Balbi and Andre-Michel Guerry are usually credited with being first creators of maps of crime Adriano Balbi and Andre-Michel Guerry are usually credited with being first creators of maps of crime First national crime stats were released in France in 1827; combined with census data First national crime stats were released in France in 1827; combined with census data Balbi & Guerry found that wealthy areas had high property crime; areas with low education had low rates of violent crimes Balbi & Guerry found that wealthy areas had high property crime; areas with low education had low rates of violent crimes Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

Work of Adolphe Quetelet Quetelet was a mathematician; able to use sophisticated stats Quetelet was a mathematician; able to use sophisticated stats Found young, poor, male, and unemployed persons were more likely to commit crimes Found young, poor, male, and unemployed persons were more likely to commit crimes Found fewer reported crimes in areas with high poverty, unemployment Found fewer reported crimes in areas with high poverty, unemployment Concluded crimes were more likely to be committed by poor & unemployed against wealthy, educated persons Concluded crimes were more likely to be committed by poor & unemployed against wealthy, educated persons Inequality was important; felt poor were drawn into wealthier areas to commit crimes Inequality was important; felt poor were drawn into wealthier areas to commit crimes Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

Declining interest in geography of crime Analysis was difficult without calculators or statistical programs Analysis was difficult without calculators or statistical programs Data availability was poor; France was exception Data availability was poor; France was exception In U.S. there was no bank of modern, national data In U.S. there was no bank of modern, national data Study of geography of crime in U.S. sat dormant until Chicago School of Criminology, early 1900s Study of geography of crime in U.S. sat dormant until Chicago School of Criminology, early 1900s Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

What is Space? Places versus spaces Places versus spaces Places Places Ex: house, business, classroom, individual address, etc. Ex: house, business, classroom, individual address, etc. Places are much smaller than spaces Places are much smaller than spaces A place is an individual point in a space A place is an individual point in a space Spaces Spaces Neighborhoods, census tracts, larger territories Neighborhoods, census tracts, larger territories Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

Defining Spaces Spaces may be defined a number of ways Spaces may be defined a number of ways “Official” boundaries – census blocks, crime tracts, planned neighborhoods by developers, etc. “Official” boundaries – census blocks, crime tracts, planned neighborhoods by developers, etc. Informal boundaries – where do residents define their neighborhood? May not coincide with “official” boundaries Informal boundaries – where do residents define their neighborhood? May not coincide with “official” boundaries Personal boundaries—defined by cognitive or internal mental maps Personal boundaries—defined by cognitive or internal mental maps Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

What is Time? Study of time in relation to the occurrence of crimes is called temporal analysis Study of time in relation to the occurrence of crimes is called temporal analysis Table on Page 7: High risk places and times Table on Page 7: High risk places and times More likely to be a victim of homicide / agg. Assault during evening hours on a weekend More likely to be a victim of homicide / agg. Assault during evening hours on a weekend More likely to have your home broken into during the daytime on a weekday More likely to have your home broken into during the daytime on a weekday Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.

Moments in Time Moment: Provides the time that a crime occurred in space—when and where Moment: Provides the time that a crime occurred in space—when and where Pinpointing time of a crime can be difficult Pinpointing time of a crime can be difficult Exact time crimes Exact time crimes Time may be determined with relative accuracy by victim Time may be determined with relative accuracy by victim More likely to be violent personal crimes, such as robbery, rape, assault More likely to be violent personal crimes, such as robbery, rape, assault Copyright © 2011, Kim Michelle Lersch. All Rights Reserved.