Hot Spot Policing: A Study of Place-Based Strategies to Crime Prevention

33 Pages Posted: 13 Jun 2013 Last revised: 20 May 2015

See all articles by Natalia Lazzati

Natalia Lazzati

University of California, Santa Cruz

Amilcar Armando Menichini

Naval Postgraduate School

Date Written: April 30, 2015

Abstract

Hot spot policing is a popular policing strategy that addresses crime by assigning limited police resources to areas where crimes are more highly concentrated. We analyze this strategy using a game theoretic approach. The main argument against focusing police resources on hot spots is that it would simply displace criminal activity from one area to another. We provide new insights on the nature of the displacement effect with useful implications for the empirical analysis of crime-reduction effects of police reallocation. We also propose alternative place-based policies that display attractive properties in terms of geographic spillovers of crime reduction via optimal police reallocation.

Keywords: Hot spot policing, place-based strategies, crimes, displacement effect, social interactions

JEL Classification: D7, K4, R1

Suggested Citation

Lazzati, Natalia and Menichini, Amilcar Armando, Hot Spot Policing: A Study of Place-Based Strategies to Crime Prevention (April 30, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2277876 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2277876

Natalia Lazzati (Contact Author)

University of California, Santa Cruz ( email )

1156 High St
Santa Cruz, CA 95064
United States

Amilcar Armando Menichini

Naval Postgraduate School ( email )

Ingersoll Hall, Room 208
555 Dyer Road
Monterey, CA 93943
United States
831-656-2694 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.nps.edu/aamenich/index.html

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