Hot Spots of Crime: Social Structure and Social Context at the Micro Geographic Level

While hot spots of crime have become an important focus of study in criminology and an important focus of crime prevention in programs like hot spots policing, to date we know little about these places. Who lives in hot spots of crime? What factors lead to these places becoming crime hot spots? What other social and health problems are found in these places? The book draws on more than 7,000 surveys of people living on crime hot spot and non-hot spot streets, systematic physical and social observations, and structured qualitative data collection. The results of this study illustrate that hot spots of crime are not just hot spots for crime, but also many other social ills. By shedding light on the social features of hot spots of crime, the book recognizes the importance of informal social controls in understanding and preventing crime at crime hot spots. This title is also available as open access on Cambridge Core.

David Weisburd is Distinguished Professor of Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University and Walter E. Meyer Professor Emeritus of Law and Criminal Justice at the Hebrew University. He is the recipient of the Stockholm Prize in Criminology, the Sutherland and Vollmer Awards from the American Society of Criminology, and the Rothschild Prize in Social Science.

Clair V. Uding is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology at the University of Wyoming. Her research focuses on mental health and criminal justice, co-responder models in policing, and the intersection of crime, health, and place.

Beidi Dong is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology, Law, & Society at George Mason University. His research applies spatiotemporal methods to examine how crime, violence, and punishment contribute to health disparities and social inequities, with a focus on vulnerable communities across the United States.

Kiseong Kuen is a Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice and a member of the Griffith Criminology Institute at Griffith University. His research interests include the criminology of place and evidence-based policing.