Breaking the chain: How arrests reduce the probability of near repeat crimes

Andrew Palmer Wheeler, Jordan R. Riddell and Cory P. Haberman
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Andrew Palmer Wheeler: University of Texas at Dallas

No 7tazd, SocArXiv from Center for Open Science

Abstract: Objectives: Near repeat patterns have been identified for a host of different crimes, but effective strategies to reduce near repeats have had more variable results. This study identifies near repeat crime patterns in Dallas, Texas and examines the effects of an arrest on reducing the probability of future crime. Method: Using open source crime data from the Dallas Police Department from July 2014 through June 2018, we identified near repeat patterns for shootings, interpersonal robberies, residential burglaries, and thefts from motor vehicles. Logistic regression models were used to test the effect of an arrest on reducing near repeat crimes; controls for geographic, demographic, and temporal factors were included in each model. Results: Near repeat calculations suggest violent crime clustered closely in time and space, with property crime dispersed over larger spatial and temporal dimensions. Across all four crime types, findings suggest arrests resulted in 20% to 40% reductions in a near repeat follow up crime. Conclusions: In line with past research on shootings, arrests reduced the likelihood of subsequent crimes. This suggests policing strategies to increase arrests may be a fruitful way to reduce near repeat crime patterns. Code to replicate the analysis can be found at: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/72q0i7wm60ndqve/AABgFB8zwGHG6xjExvaD01EGa?dl=0.

Date: 2019-07-25
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-law and nep-ure
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:osf:socarx:7tazd

DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/7tazd

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