This thesis examines how burglars select a target and carry out a crime. The four research questions addressed by the two studies conducted for this thesis are: 1. What are the processes used by burglars to select a target, break in, steal, and distribute the proceeds? 2. What are the crucial decision making cues used to select a target? 3. What is the impact of various cues, cue alternatives, cue order and combinations selected on target attractiveness in a controlled situation? 4. Does age or experience interact with the effect of any cues? The results furnish discussion and increase the understanding and prevention of break and enter (B&E). The research for this thesis was conducted in two studies. For Study One interviews were conducted with fifty persons who attend a methadone clinic. Participants were past heroin users who financed their drug use through the commission of break and enter. Semi-structured interviews were conducted that covered their drug use and criminal involvement. From these interviews a list of seventeen cues was developed - cue 1 (dog), cue 2 (lighting), cue 3 (alarm), cue 4 (occupancy - lights/tv/radio), cue 5 (occupancy - car in driveway), cue 6 (affluence), cue 7 (doors/windows), cue 8 (locks), cue 9 (garage), cue 10 (fence), cue 11 (garden), cue 12 (location), cue 13 (people in the street), cue 14 (neighbourhood watch), cue 15 (weather), cue 16 (inside information) and cue 17 (street type). Participants used these seventeen cues to determine the vulnerability of a target. For Study Two a computer program was developed, in which these seventeen cues were arranged in various combinations, across twenty case studies. The computer program allowed subjects to access as much information about a case study as they needed to make a decision about its attractiveness as a burglary target. A new sample of ninety-six burglars were asked to view the twenty case studies and give each target a rating from '0' (not a B&E opportunity) to '100' (a definite B&E opportunity). Over the twenty case studies, the subjects only accessed one third of the available information to make a decision. The lower the final rating for a ease study the fewer cues were selected. Subjects were quickly deterred if the first one or two selections revealed deterrent alternatives. In contrast, if the initial selections revealed attractive alternatives the subjects were hard to deter even if subsequent cue selections revealed only deterrent alternatives. Four cues - cue 1 (dog), cue 3 (alann), cue 13 (people in the street) and cue 16 (inside information) - accounted for 91.77% of all first selections. Six cues - cue 1 (dog), 3 (alarm), cue 4 (occupancy - lights/tv/radio), cue 5 (occupancy - car in driveway), cue 13 (people in the street) and cue 16 (inside information) - accounted for 67.8% of all selections made. Clearly these six cues are very important to offenders and they should be closely examined in any prevention initiative. Results revealed that on 282 Occasions subjects viewed only one cue then made their decision based on this one piece of information. The most common single cue was reliable inside information that there was a large amount of cash inside the house or when a good alarm was present. Decision trees were developed which graphically trace the selections of subjects and the ratings given after each selection. The trees showed that subjects reached different conclusions from the same case study because they could select different cues. The selection of different cues from the same case study led to great variation in subsequent cue selections. The decision trees confirmed the earlier finding that subjects are much harder to deter when the first one or two selections had attractive alternatives even if subsequent selections had deterrent alternatives. Results of linear regressions revealed that every cue was significant as predictor of final rating at least twice, however three cues - cue 3 (alarm), cue 12 (location) and cue 16 (inside information) - were significant as predictors ten or more times. The 96 subjects were divided into four groups on the basis of age (young and old) and experience (experienced and inexperienced). The young and inexperienced group used an average of 188.3 cues across the twenty case studies, whereas the older and experienced group used an average of 43.8 cues. Older and experienced subjects were harder to deter, compared to younger and inexperienced subjects. As experience increased fewer cues were needed to reach a decision. The results showed that the variation in final rating for each case study was explained by a few cues. For example, in case study 16 the Adjusted R Square with all seventeen factors entered was .945. With only six cues as predictors the Adjusted R Square reduced slightly to .939. This shows that although cues are mentioned in the literature and were selected by subjects in this study they were often ineffectual and did not assist in explaining the final rating. The two most effective prevention measures were the deterrent alternatives for cue 3 (alarm) and cue 4 (occupancy -lights/tv/radio). The two most influential attractive alternatives were for cue 12 (location; house is located on a corner block) and cue 16 (inside information; from a reliable source you are told there could be a large amount of cash kept in the house). Overall, the linear models with interactions showed that the inexperienced subjects' decision making was more volatile and fluctuated to a greater extent than the experienced subjects' decision making. When continually attractive infonnation was received the inexperienced subjects' ratings climbed higher than did the experienced subjects. When deterrent information was received the negative effect on the inexperienced subjects' ratings was greater than the effect on experienced subjects. Experience increases burglars' skills and abilities but it also improves their capacity to weigh up information in a more reasoned manner. The results revealed that experienced subjects have probably developed a level of skill to the extent that the deterrent alternatives for many cues have become ineffectual. The experienced subjects have developed strategies to overcome many deterrents. The decision making of the experienced subjects was clearly more sophisticated and considered. The main theoretical finding of this thesis is that research will only produce incomplete findings if it concentrates on place and situation to the neglect of the offender and the antecedents and attributes they bring to a crime. The influence of age and experience on decision making is of such consequence that it must be considered to maximise the prevention of crime. Age and experience have individual and combined influences on cue selection and interpretation.

Taiwan has a great frequent interaction with China. Because of individual political policy and without judicial cooperation, many problems such as transnational crimes are aroused. In order to prevent the cross boarder crime and effectively proceed criminal suit in cross- strait, the third Jiang-Chang conference officially signed the contract ¡§Cross- strait cooperation for eliminating crime and agreement of judicial cooperation¡¨in Nanjing on 4/26 in 2009. The agreement made effect on 6/25 in the same year and turned a new leaf for the across- strait cooperation to reduce the crime. According to the agreement, the Cross-strait agrees to support in civil affairs and criminal domain, taking the measure to strike the crime in tune with the emphasis on kidnapping, firearms, drugs, population business and significant cross-strait criminal organization. Deception crime is part of the economic crimes and cross-strait deception crime has run wild in recent years. Hence the topic for the research is cross- strait deception crime. The research is aimed at signing the cross-strait agreement afterward and chooses three single cases on cross-strait cooperation to strike organization of telecommunication deception. On the other hand, supported by the questionnaire from similar cases that Taiwan police investigated, the research can point out the dilemma in eliminating guilt that both sides are faced with. At last, cross-strait police can propose feasible mode of investigating cooperation for striking cross-strait guilt by trying to erect the communication, exchange the information, investigate the crime evidence, repatriate the crime, and wipe out the crime together and the data can be provided for coherent units and follow up research. For the cross-strait cooperation for eliminating crime had made effect, the cross-strait deception organization had escaped from cross- strait to Southeast Asia. In the future, it is possible that the organization will expand to other countries and deceive people in cross-strait, and such situation makes police from cross- strait should inevitably be faced with the challenge of cross- strait and else in 21 century. In other words, except for highly intensive cross- strait cooperation, we must need to cooperate with the third country. Under the globalized structure, the research exerts the viewpoints and characteristics of Global Government and puts emphasis on ¡§Low politic, high function¡¨ cooperation to establish and integrate a cross- strait cooperation platform. The research proposes the strategy of cross- strait cooperation for reducing the crime and then hopes to positively come up with the solution for cross- strait deception crime to defend the safety of people from cross- strait.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 130-136). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Brown University, 2005. / Vita. Thesis advisor: Tim Harris. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 390-441). Also available online.

Thesis (Ph.D)--University of Arizona, 2004. / "A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Department of Geography and Regional Development in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of philosophy In the Graduate College, The University of Arizona." Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Sept. 18, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Community-oriented policing implementation has been examined under the context of large agencies whereas the literature on smaller agencies has ultimately been lagging behind The purpose of this study is therefore to examine the degree of community policing implementation within these smaller agencies, controlling for characteristics derived from the theory of social disorganization, to gather further insight into what variables may be impacting crimes rates Pearson correlation and OLS regression analysis is employed to obtain the necessary results The findings indicate that although community-policing implementation does not significantly impact or explain the variation of crime rates in small cities, the statistically significant results of particular social disorganization characteristics should be an indicator of the need to incorporate theory with practice / Includes bibliography / Thesis (MS)--Florida Atlantic University, 2016 / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Gated communities exclude the public by presenting barriers to entry. Barriers take many forms, ranging from simple gates and fences to sophisticated electronic devices and security guards. Today, more than 20,000 communities in the United States are gated, housing a population in excess of 8 million. Those figures continue to rise, and there is no indication that current trends will slow in the immediate future. While several factors are fueling the growth of gated communities, crime tops the list. This paper evaluates the effect of gating on crime inside gated communities. To provide a context for the paper, a detailed description of gated communities is offered by way of introduction. Scholarly findings and several brief case examples are then presented in order to evaluate the impact of gating on crime. The notion that gating delivers crime prevention benefits stems from defensible space theory. This paper introduces defensible space theory, discusses the links to gated communities, and uses the findings to evaluate the contentions of defensible space theory. Several additional crime theories are also introduced, and their implications for gated communities discussed. Gated communities excite a number of concerns. Those that are relevant to planning objectives and ideals are presented in the final chapter of this paper. Areas for further research involving gated communities are also identified. Attention to these issues will further our understanding of gated communities and answer many questions that remain unresolved. Opinions, insights, and recommendations for addressing gated communities and crime are offered in conclusion. / Master of Urban and Regional Planning

No description available.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1999. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 268-274).

No description available.