A Networked Boost: Burglary Co-Offending and Repeat Victimization Using a Network Approach

Abstract

Burglarized locations are at an elevated risk of re-victimization soon after an initial offense. The current study uses a two-mode network approach to examine three possible mechanisms of repeat victimization: (a) The characteristics of a location make the target attractive to all motivated offenders, (b) the same offender returns to the offense location multiple times, or (c) other offender(s), to whom the primary offender is connected, commit subsequent offenses. The results support all three mechanisms, but particularly the same offender returning for subsequent offenses. These “returners” are generally more experienced, more connected burglary offenders. Significantly, however, repeat victimizations not committed by the same offender(s) often involve connected co-offenders, a mechanism for repeat victimization that has not been previously demonstrated empirically.