Analysis of Theft and Burglary in Alhambra Village

Analysis of Theft and Burglary in Alhambra Village

November 1st, 2014

        Modern policing has come a long way from just going out and catching the bad guys. It has evolved from the basics of tracking down and arresting criminals to the more complex idea of problem oriented policing. According to Crime Analysis for Problem Solvers in 60 Small Steps, problem oriented policing is defined as “analyzing and solving crime problems” (Clarke & Eck, 2009). One of the tools the book describes is the SARA Model. SARA is an acronym that represents the four steps to assure effective problem oriented policing. The four steps are Scanning, Analysis, Response, and Assessment (Clarke & Eck, 2009). For the purpose of this essay, the analysis portion of the model will be the primary focus. The goal of the analysis section is to obtain a clear understanding of the deep root cause of the problem in question.

        Using the tool www.raidsonline.com to map out crime in the local area, it is easy to identify specific areas that have specific problems. The area of interest for this report will be centered on W Bethany Home Road and North 17th Avenue of the Alhambra Village in Phoenix, Arizona. That location is a hot dot for theft and burglaries, and it is cluttered with opportunity. Having both crime generators and attractors, the environment offers numerous choices for targets, including residential and retail. This area also has a very dense population. Alhambra has 8,408 people per square mile, while the phoenix average is 3,095 people per square mile (Urban Mapping, 2014). Having that many people in such a small area means there will be lots activity.  In Alhambra, not many residents are college educated, which means they will most likely will have a lower paying job. Approximately forty five percent of the population has less than a high school education and less than twenty percent having any college degree at all (Urban Mapping, 2014). The dense population and heavy retail environment provides ample overlapping in activity spaces. Activity space is the concept used to describe how targets are selected by offenders through their daily routines (Clarke & Eck, 2009). Because the school district, neighborhoods, and shopping center are grouped so closely together makes it easy for an offender to select their target because they do not have to go looking for opportunity.

        Environmental criminologists say opportunity makes the thief. Other criminologists do not  agree saying that opportunity only determines where and when, not whether it happens at all (Clarke & Eck, 2009). In the case of Alhambra, it seems that the environmental criminologists would be correct. According to the data on www.raidsonline.com, some of the stores in the area have been victimized repeatedly, some more than nine times in the past year. Understanding this data can help analysts and police officers evaluate these events and give them the tools to make a positive impact on the crime cycle of this community.    

        The deep root problem for the theft and burglary in this area is a dense population of uneducated people living in close proximity to potential targets and criminal opportunities. While lower levels of education do not necessarily cause crime, it does signify a lower social class and exposure to opportunity for criminal activity. Studies show that there is a negative relationship between the amount of schooling and the arrest rates for traditional crimes (Hagan, 2013). Based on Cohen’s Routine Activities Theory, when a likely offender finds a suitable target without a capable guardian present, a crime will occur (Clarke & Eck, 2009). Alhambra, specifically the area of Bethany Home Road and N17th Avenue, is made up of low income neighborhoods with low education rates. This raises the number of possible offenders. The opportunity for these offenders is practically on their doorstep. Not only due to the fact that the area has a dense population and offenders have many options from which to choose their victims, but also the shopping center and mall that is just a few blocks away is a constant, unmoving target.