Predicting risks of larceny theft victimization: A routine activity analysis using refined lifestyle measures

    Authors

    E. E. Mustaine;R. Tewksbury

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Criminololgy

    Keywords

    CRIMINAL VICTIMIZATION; PERSONAL VIOLENCE; CRIME; LINK; Criminology & Penology

    Abstract

    Routine activity theory has long been plagued by a heavy reliance on proxy measures of lifestyles, which typically include demographic variables that are regularly used as measures of lifestyle and behavior. This reliance on indirect measures forces researchers to suppose how and why these indicators are related to victimization risks. Using detailed measurements of activities and specific structural aspects of communities,is clearly more desirable and beneficial when seeking to explain variances in victimization risks. This research advances theoretical understandings of victimization risks through an analysis of specific social activities, aspects of neighborhoods, and contribution of each to the risks of larceny victimization for college students. We find that greater specificity in measuring lifestyles is warranted, for it is not just leaving one's home and going out in public that increases one's risk for victimization (a typical finding of routine activity theory scholars), but where one goes and what one does that are the important larceny victimization predictors.

    Journal Title

    Criminology

    Volume

    36

    Issue/Number

    4

    Publication Date

    1-1-1998

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    829

    Last Page

    857

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000076805900005

    ISSN

    0011-1384

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