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Article
Publication date: 1 June 2010

Stijn Van Daele and Tom Vander Beken

Most researchers have found that property crimes have a local focus: offenders tend to operate in the vicinity of their residence. This has led the police to organise themselves…

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Abstract

Purpose

Most researchers have found that property crimes have a local focus: offenders tend to operate in the vicinity of their residence. This has led the police to organise themselves to concentrate their resources in highly populated, urban areas. Over the last decade mobile property offenders have been found in various Western European countries that differ from this norm. These groups of mainly Eastern European multiple offenders engaging in property crime tend to travel further than other offenders. As such, their operations differ from most criminals, challenging the way the police are organised and undermining criminological theories on journey to crime. The aim of this paper is to look at the specificity of mobility patterns of these groups, to examine the precise interpretation of their mobility and to consider the implications.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses the Belgian police database containing all serious property crimes in Belgium for the period 2002‐2006. Some basic offender characteristics have been identified and for these offenders journey‐to‐crime patterns have been established.

Findings

Eastern European multiple offending groups tend to commit their crimes in rural areas. Although they start their journey in regions considered “crime importing”, they carry out their crimes in “crime exporting” areas. As such, they are atypical, challenging traditional theories on journey‐to‐crime and the way in which police forces are organised.

Research limitations/implications

Observing a special group is one thing, but explaining these differences is another. Further research is needed, in particular with regard to the motivational aspects for these offenders.

Originality/value

Whereas most researchers have found crime (including property crime) to be mainly local, the present research focuses on more mobile offenders. The challenges that these groups create for law enforcement authorities make it important for them and their patterns of activity to be understood.

Details

Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-951X

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Article
Publication date: 29 August 2008

Tom Vander Beken and Stijn Van Daele

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of vulnerability studies of economic activities to study the relationship between organised crime and the economy and…

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the potential of vulnerability studies of economic activities to study the relationship between organised crime and the economy and illustrate it by examples taken from a vulnerability study of the European waste management industry.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on both economical and criminological perspectives a scanning tool for assessing the vulnerability of economic sectors was developed and applied to a specific case.

Findings

Sector vulnerability studies belong to the wider family of criminal opportunity approaches, all of which aim to identify areas of current risk and future prevention. Sector vulnerability studies (vulnerability to organised crime and other risks) extend the range by bringing in economic sectors. Although starting from the analysis of the formal economy, sector vulnerability studies can provide insights concerning potential irregularities and opportunities for informal economies to flourish as well.

Originality/value

This paper addresses informal markets and the relationship between organised crime and the economy from a vulnerability perspective, focusing on the opportunities provided by licit economic activity. Although such opportunity approaches exist and have been applied to various cases before, there are only a few examples of its application to vulnerabilities to organised crime.

Details

International Journal of Social Economics, vol. 35 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0306-8293

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