ABSTRACT
Many criminological studies and prevention programs are predicated on the assumption that offenders are confined to fixed geographic areas when they engage in criminal activity. Correlations in ecological research between urban characteristics and crime rates assume that these rates are produced exclusively by persons residing within the relevant zones.8, 42 Similarly, the location of preventive services in urban communities is often dictated by levels of crime, with the most crime-ridden areas frequently attracting the bulk of these services.46 Little consideration is given to the possibility that sites attracting the greatest criminal activity may not be inhabited by the highest concentration of offenders.
