ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book seeks to develop theory for understanding the law of crime concentration and its prediction of consistently high levels of concentration of crime at place. It argues that crime hot spots are also places of high levels of social disorganization. The book shows that the utility of place-based thinking would be enhanced if it recognized the value of considering the broader neighborhood contexts in which places are situated. It also argues that the "overwhelming majority of community supervision agencies fail to reduce offenders' inclinations to commit crime, and even more so, ignore the role of the offender's environment in providing chances to commit crime." The book examines how the context of micro places influences police decision-making. It explores employ theoretical analysis to develop more effective crime prevention at micro geographic places.
