Testing Routine Activity Theory in Mexico

Using a comprehensive victimization survey data set, we develop the first test of routine activity (RA) theory in a Latin American country. Estimating a complementary log-log multilevel model of the theory in several stages, we investigate what factors in the theory predict residential burglary risk...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Vilalta, Carlos J. (Author) ; Fondevila, Gustavo (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2021
In: The British journal of criminology
Year: 2021, Volume: 61, Issue: 3, Pages: 754-772
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Routine Activity Theory
Residential Burglary
Latin America
Description
Summary:Using a comprehensive victimization survey data set, we develop the first test of routine activity (RA) theory in a Latin American country. Estimating a complementary log-log multilevel model of the theory in several stages, we investigate what factors in the theory predict residential burglary risk. We find that measures associated with the exposure to potential offenders, target attractiveness, target accessibility, personal guardianship, social guardianship, and natural guardianship predict residential burglary in our sample of Mexican cities. As such, residential burglary is a complex crime with multiple factors at play, for which RA theory is a suitable theory given the conciseness of its propositions and operational definitions. We foresee RA theory successfully influencing future studies of crime in the Latin American region.
ISSN:1464-3529
DOI:10.1093/bjc/azaa089